Old Quilt

I have been trying all morning to get these pictures uploaded. I
finally checked my camera to find it was set on the biggest file size. I changed that and then went and cropped my pictures to make them smaller. That helped but I still had to upload them one at a time as evidently Blogger couldn't handle them even two at a time (I tried).


Sue at From the Magpie's Nest shared a picture of her great-grandmother's Wedding Ring quilt so I thought I would pull out my grandmother's quilt and share pictures of it plus take a poll to see what you all think I should do with it. (That's if I can get the poll thingy to work. If not I'll have to amend my post).


My grandmother was not one for communication so we know nothing other than that she made this quilt - sometime! It's in one piece but as you can see the edges and some of the pieces are a bit ragged. The quilting is gone in large parts of the quilt. The only way I see to restore it would be to requilt the whole thing, replace a few patches and rebind it. I don't feel like it would be Grandma Minnie O'Keefe's quilt anymore. I don't like leaving it sit folded up in the linen closet though.

Oooooh, I just figured out what my May page for the BJP is going to be! Yay, I didn't have a clue what to do and now I know. Stay tuned!

Let me get back to Grandma's quilt. I think she used pretty colors in the quilt and you can see some of the patterns in the fabrics. I really wish she would have shared more of herself with us.


I have some sisters who think this quilt is valuable and would bring in a tidy sum of money which in their way of thinking would be divided among six of us....yeah, they just really don't know it is only of sentimental value but they don't do any crafts at all so they really wouldn't know.

Okay, go take a look at the poll.

Visitor

We had a visitor today. This little roadrunner needed a drink so he stopped by our goat bucket.
Isn't he cute?

Seeing the nature is the best part of living in this rural area. At least, as long as it isn't a snake or a scorpion!

Inchies

Here is my inchie for the week. We were given a pattern shown here in purple, to use as the base for our inchie. I layered several papers uniting them by using blue chalk ink on their edges. This was a challenge to use all the shapes in order on one inch!

If you want to see more of the inchies visit Inchy By Inch and why don't you give one a try?

April Started

I have finally started on my April page for the Bead Journal Project. This one had my stymied for a while. I had trouble envisioning how to go about making this one. Flat embroidery didn't seem to be the right way to go.

I want to thank the BJPers who offered support and advice when I called on them over at the BJP blog. It made me feel really good to know I wasn't alone out here.

So, I started by making my chocolate bunny shown here on the right. I figure I can stitch him down wherever he might fit when the basket is done. And, I have now started on the basket. Hopefully, the work will
move along briskly now. Keep your fingers crossed!

Inchies

Hi everyone. This week's inchy's theme was a "peg bag" (clothespin bag to some of us) in the shape of a baby's kimono or shirt. I googled for kimono and came up with a site that had lots of different clothing items on it called Origami Club. Check it out.

I thought I'd go with the idea of the shirt and used some floral wrapping paper. The flowers didn't end up showing up on such a small piece but it looked hawaiian so I went with that.

I added a few size 15 seed beads and ran around the edge with a pink Prismacolor pencil, added some tiny words (I didn't know I could print out such tiny print and have it come out clear - you learn something more every day!) and I was done. Come and join in the fun over at Inchybyinch. The more the merrier!

Tagged!

I've been tagged! And before I could reply to Robin's I got tagged again by Mary Tafoya! They were for the same meme so I get to answer once for both. Here are the rules:


The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.”

I thought I'd add a little more fun and made a tag to go along for some visual interest.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?
Ten years ago this same time in June I was celebrating
my dad's eightieth birthday. It was really a family reunion and my daughter did most of
the work putting it together. We held it at his house with music, lots of food and the pool.
2. What are five things on my to do list?
a. Bead journal pages. I've got the picture ready, the beads picked out and am ready to
start beading my April page (yeah, I got more behind than I intended).
b. Catch up on art journal class pages. At least I'm an equal opportunity behinder!!
c. Make bread. I made pizza dough last night for my husband and now bread sounds so
good, I just have to have some.
d. Take a walk around the block. That's a 2 1/2 mile walk and I have to do it early or it'll
be too hot. I don't walk too often but I've been wanting to so it's time.
e. Clean the cat box and replenish her water bottle.

3. Snacks I enjoy: Mmmm, popcorn! I like it buttered but that's not good for me so I just use
butter flavoring. I hotair pop my corn and spray on just a bit of the buttery flavored oil.
I also like to munch on cookies and trying to stay low fat that means cinnamon graham
crackers or zweiback (yep, those old baby cookies- they are delicious). Cake comes in
next place as a favorite. Mind you, I didn't mention fruit or veggies. I might eat them
trying to stay low fat but they aren't my favorites!

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
a. I'd pay off my kids and my siblings mortgages. The only way I'd become a billionaire
would be through a lottery (which I don't play but that's not the point here) and it
would be fun to surprise them all instead of telling them about it.
b. I'd go to bead classes wherever they might be and have lots of fun with them.
c. I would have fun giving to charities - the ones I already give to and the ones I'd like to
but can't afford to now.
d. I'd start a bead shop where all the profits went to charity. I'd call it Beads For All or
something like that.

5. Places I have lived:
Born in Long Beach, California
Moved to Honolulu, Hawaii (my dad was in the new Air Force)
Vacaville, California
San Diego, California
El Cajon, California
Oakland, California (I'm just married)
Long Beach again,
El Cajon again where I had my first baby (son)
Novato, California where I had my second child
Great Lakes, Illinois
Chanahon, Illinois
Sanford, Florida
Santee, California
Sasebo, Japan
El Cajon, California again
Pacific Beach, California
Lismore, Minnesota
Lakeside, California
Chugwater, Wyoming
Kingman, Arizona!!
Ta da! Finito! On my way to California. Don't know when but I'll get back there someday to stay!

6. Peeps I want to know more about:

Dee D of http://beadsalot.blogspot.com/
Genevieve of http://gencreations.blogspot.com/
CC of http://hrhcc.blogspot.com/
KV of http://artfulmuse.blogspot.com/
Fannie of http://fanniecarte.blogspot.com/
Barbara of http://demibrix.blogspot.com/2008/06/so-simple.html
Fiona of http://www.magickdiva.blogspot.com/

And I think I will leave it at that! Now to leave a message for each of you.

Thankyou!

I want to thank Grace of Gracebeading. She sent me this note and these beads which were tucked into the little silver box. She was thanking me for the encouragement I gave to her by visiting her blog during the past year. I enjoyed visiting her blog; it's a nice one! She's always showing what she is doing for one cause or another which puts me to shame! She certainly didn't need to send me anything but I will enjoy the items none-the-less.

The card is a great idea for an idea jumping-off point and the envelope is so pretty it will certainly find it's way onto an inchie, an ATC or some other art piece! The lampwork beads don't show up real well but they are beautiful and will look really nice whether in jewelry or some other project. The box is perforated and I can imagine taking these seed beads plus some others and making a fringed top on it.

Thank you so much Grace. When I do make something with these items I'll post it for everyone to see.

Inchies

The theme for this week's inchy was "fairy". I used a picture of my daughter as she dressed up as a dark fairy for Halloween this year.

I took away the wings she had as thy didn't look very nice on the inchie and added some cut from purple petals on floral gift wrap. I used one of the inchie blanks I won from Nina at Purple Faerie Paper Crafts (from a drawing on last week's inchy challenge over at InchybyInch) and covered it with some green paper with purple polka dots. I added some micro glitter to her wings and edged the inchie and the photo cut-out with purple chalk ink. With everything glued onto the base I think it turned out pretty well.

As I was looking through my pictures for this one I found lots that could be converted into fairies so I think I will make a set of them when I have a little more time. Maybe I'll do everyone in my daughter's family (five people and some pets) and turn it into a gift somehow. Oh, the ideas pop up all the time but getting myself organized so I can follow through...well, that's where my problem lies!

I've added a picture of the tiara as I made it for her for this year's costume. It turned out a little heavier and grand than I intended. My daughter loves petite and feminine over grand. The large light beads along the center were from my mother's jewelry so my daughter has a bit of her grandmother with her.

It seems I ended up echoing Purple Faerie Paper Crafts. I didn't intend to but my daughter's outfit was purple and she fit the bill. I do want to thank Nina here for offering the prize of the blanks and a rubber stamp for inchies of a woman silhouette (I almost used it but then thought of my daughter's outfit).

Come and join us and have a "little" fun!

Winners From My Teaparty

Where did the time go? I haven't quite finished my teacup but it's coming along. I hope to post a picture of it tomorrow. The winners are:

Magpie Sue who wins the teacup magnet/pin.

CC who wins the sea anemone ATC

and KV who wins the tea ATC.

Congratulations to all of you. I'll get in touch with you to get your addresses.

Thanks to everyone who joined with me to celebrate my one year anniversary of blogging. I heard of teas I didn't know existed (I enjoy several different kinds but Lipton's original is my stand-by).

Weekly Inchie

This week's theme for Inchybyinch was to do something with the mail post. I had only one stamp to use for this and it was too big for an inchie so I made a couple of tiny envelopes and a letter to go into one of them. Enlarged here they look a bit sloppy so perhaps next time I'll work under a magnifying lamp when I want this much detail.

The background is some leftover background I made for my Christmas cards. I had a one inch strip so I cut it into several squares. I think it's generic enough that it will be used for some future inchies.

This week there is an added bonus besides the fun of making these inchies. Purple Faerie Paper Crafts has sponsored us and is offering some blank inchies and a rubber stamp to the name drawn from those who link back to Inchybyinch and Purple Faierie Paper Crafts. Sounds like a good deal to me. See what fun you'd have if you'd join us?

One Year of Blogging

Wow. I have been blogging for one year as of May 18th! I didn't realize it until I checked after visiting Grace's blog Gracebeading. She is celebrating her one-year anniversary so I thought I'd better check out when I started. On May 18, 2007, I made my first post: Hi! I am on my first flight with the blogging world. Joining a beading journal group got me into this. Please excuse me if I ruffle a few feathers. I would like some smooth soaring but computers are a challenge to me. Here goes......... whee! Well it has been an eagle's flight! I've soared to places and people I never dreamed to and have grown so much, enjoyed so much and learned so much! I've made new friends, joined new groups and have even taken classes after finding mentions of this or that on someone or another's blog. What a world we live in! It's wonderful and amazing. Don't you agree?

Like so many others who have reached a milestone on blogging whether it's one year or 100 posts, I want to celebrate. Time for a tea party (yeah, I am one wild kind of party gal!) so leave me a comment telling me what your favorite tea is (or party beverage for you wild ones out there) and on the evening of May 31st I will pick 3 names from my party hat for prizes.

The third name drawn will receive the first ATC I made which falls right into the theme of my celebration - Tea For Two.

The second name drawn will receive my sea glass fabric ATC which I call Sea Anemones.

The first name drawn (I did this in reverse order as that is how my pictures lined up on the right - I really am not contrary!) will receive something I am working on right now. You can see the start of it on the right. I am not sure how it will turn out so I started two just in case (even after almost a year of doing bead embroidery I am still unsure about a piece). I plan to turn it into a
magnet but I can leave it off till the first name drawn tells me she/he wants it like that.

So, are we ready to party? Leave me a comment and a way to get back to you in case your name is drawn.

Inchies

I have finished my inchie for Inchybyinch this week. Pretty early too! The theme was places and for me there was no hesitation. California. To be more exact, it would be southern California.

I cut out an image from a catalog, glued it to a piece of card, used a sharpie pen to edge it and added the words. I wanted to add "right back where I started from" but there is only so much room on an inchie, after all!

They don't have to be difficult or fancy. They can be beaded like my last one, hand drawn like the one before it or collaged like this one. They can even be made of fabric but any which way, they are fun to do. Try it yourself. Go to the link at the top of this post and see what you can do.

Inchies

After being gone for the Mother's Day weekend (which meant a week really), I didn't think I'd be able to do this week's inchie for InchybyInch but I made it after all.

This week's theme was faces so I took a button blank from which I had previously removed the shank and covered with a hand painted face and glued it to my inch. Then I peyote stitched around it first with size 6 seed beads, then 2-drop number 8's and finally a round of number 11's. I added the touch of 11's to the corners to carry the brightness out to the edge.

The inchie is sooo textural and has my favorite medium (beads) on it so I couldn't be more happy with it. Maybe I'll glue a magnet to the back of this one and put it on my fridge.

March BJP - To My Mother with Love

I've done it! I have finished my March page. It
didn't take near as long as any of the others. I love how it came out as it looks pretty true to the real thing.

The "real thing" was my mother's Cecil Bruner rose bush. It was a climbing rose with small flowers that my Dad bought for her and planted on the fence that was at the edge of the pool which I did for my July page.

I used some fake pearls that my mother had (they were really, really in bad shape but worked great for this page) to make the centers of the roses. I goofed and used dark purple for the background instead of light as my other purple page was but there isn't anything like serendipity as the dark purple symbolizes suffering and my mother did a lot of that. Her dad was killed be a hit-and-run driver while crossing a street, her third child (first son) died at one month while sleeping in bed with her so she was blamed by the coroner for his death, her fourth child needed open heart surgery and was about the 5th one to use the new heart/lung machine which gave her a 50/50 chance of survival (she did and now has 3 children of her own), and then she got multiple sclerosis finally dying during surgery for a ruptured appendix at age 56.

I didn't know what I was going to do on this page except that it would be for my mom as this was her birthday month. I thought of a sewing machine as she made a lot of the clothes us five daughters wore plus doll clothes and some of our wedding dresses. I thought about making a decorated cake as she did many of those including some of our wedding cakes. After many other ideas I found myself worrying about a family situation and so I prayed to her asking her to pray for my family. The next day I knew I wanted to put flowers on her page. I didn't know what flowers or why I wanted to do this so clearly so I wrote to my oldest sister who understands odd things like this. I told her only that I had a strong urge to put flowers on Mom's page but didn't know why. She came back with: She LOVED pink Cicel Bloomers, the very small pink rose. And I think that she is sending you love which she would do with pink roses. She is letting you know that she is with you and sending you blessings. It is a be in the moment thing again. sewing, decorating cakes, hats, shoes, are all doing or memories, roses are an enjoy the beauty of the moment, growing thing, that we get to enjoy. Tell me if this helps, for she is enjoying your company and the honor that you give to her. It was so perfectly tuned to my prayer which my sister did not know about. I did feel so close to Mom just then plus to my sister. (Sisters are one of life's blessings as are daughters and...). So, roses it became and it went soooo smoothly and quickly.

Island Bedroom

My daughter painted this island room for her oldest daughter. It was a birthday gift last year and though it took quite a while to plan and execute I think it was well worth the wait.

The bed area is painted beige and has bamboo roll-up shades so that it can be closed off. This is the bamboo shack.

Outside of the shack the walls were painted to look like an island with the ocean as background. The cat tree was even decorated to look like a palm and a beach chair was added to complete the idea. Even the ceiling was painted.

I think my daughter did a fantastic job. Her husband has come a long way from fretting over her painting walls (not ceiling or closet doors even) a pale pink in anticipation of a baby girl, to pretty much an anything goes attitude - as long as he doesn't have to see it in the process. That would be too stressful! And that is okay with my daughter who
is ready to take on the living room stairwell.

Hope you enjoyed the tour.