Karen's Dolls and stuff

Steampunk Doll

2012-01-25T23:24:00.000-08:00

This is my Steampunk doll. She is going to a luncheon for free flight ladies. They all are pilots and love to fly the dirigibles. She has on her wing hat she has earned. Plus her winged flight key. She loves dressing up for her luncheons.

Christmas

2011-12-31T19:56:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of my family celebration. We had lots of fun. Christmas Eve spent and my hubby's parents with all his family there. Christmas Day we go to his parents and open a few gifts and we eat breakfast there. Then we go back to our house with just my daughters and their families and we open presents there. They go home and we take a short nap and then go back to hubby's parents for dinner.

1st- my hubby at his parents

2nd- Mallorie

3rd- Kassy, Mallorie and Calvin at our house (grandkids)

4th- Samantha and Stepanie (my daughters), Mallorie and Kassy

5th- Kassy and Brain (Samantha's hubby)

6th- Calvin, Chad (Stephanie's hubby), Stephanie, Kassy, Samantha, Mallorie at bottom and Brian just a bit in the picture

My wonderful gifts from my swap partner

2011-12-17T22:46:00.000-08:00

I was in a Christmas swap in my Yahoo
C-R-A-F-T group. We had to make/buy presents for each letter in Christmas. This is what my partner Pam sent to me.
first pic- all wrapped

second pic- C for candy dish with some yummy chocolate truffles, H for Hana-no-en (celebration of flowers) a beautiful fabric necklace, R for ribbon, a wonderful zippered ribbon bag

third pic- I for inspiration from a fabric artist...Laura Gunn. A beautiful handmade purse

fourth pic- S for Suzi-Mari handballs, a wonderful fabric ball that makes noise when you toss it! T for tea, a lovely quilted Kimono hanging and a Japanese tea set

fifth pic- M for mugs, wonderful quilted snowmen mug rugs

sixth pic- A for Asian inspired. This magnificent doll that Pam made. It has joints at the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankle! Such a lot of work went into this fabulous doll!!!!

seventh pic- S for snow, this cute snowman mug with matching spoon!

eighth pic- all opened, all my treasures

Pam was such a fabulous partner and really was thoughtful in all the gifts! Here is a link to see what I got for Pam She was happy with her gifts too!

Stuff I have been making

2011-12-07T23:35:00.000-08:00

ribbon stocking made for Judy

Here are a few things I can show that I have made for swaps and made recently.

The stocking is a ribbon stocking made like the ribbon fabric. The angel is from a clay head and venice lace. These went to Judy.

The spare parts doll is for a Doll Street Challenge (the morgue doll challenge). You use old doll parts you have made but not used. The parts were all made for five other dolls that I didn't like at the time. I put them together and then dressed the doll.

The tassel doll also uses a spare parts head and I added a tassel for hair and ribbon for a collar. She is for a gift.

The mouse ornament I made from felt and fabric for an ornament exchange at my quilt guild Christmas party.

angel ornament for Judy

Spare parts doll

tassel doll

Mouse Ornament

New witch and epb head

2011-11-19T23:46:00.000-08:00

Here is another witch I made for the same client. She wanted one that just sat on the flat surface. I made her much the same as the other witch doll. This one has fur hair instead of mohair.

I took a class with elinor peace bailey on Monday and Tuesday of this week. I made another doll but am giving it away so I made this head for Elinor to paint a face on. Isn't she fun. I will have my own epb face. It is Anne of the Celtic Mist. I will sow a picture of the epb doll I made after the person I made it for recieves it!

Mermaid and Zentangle dolls

2011-10-28T22:37:00.000-07:00

I made these for challenges that have ended now so I can show them to you.

Here is my Zentangle doll I made for the Zentangle doll challenge at Doll Street. I made the original zentangles with black prisma pens and then colored them in with Prisma pencils. She is based on a pattern by Cindy Moyer

This is a mermaid scene I made for the Cloth Doll Artist- Holiday studio 3rd quarter challenge. The mermaid is Kat Lees pattern. The fish was also her patterns. She is herself about 6" to 7" from head to tail!

Here is some paper doll ornaments I made.

Witch doll

2011-10-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

My friend ordered another doll. She wanted a small witch that had moles/warts and big nose. Here is what I made a combination of two Ute Vasina patterns and my own costuming.

The wart even has hair on it!! LOL

My swap from Judy

2011-10-13T20:39:00.000-07:00

Aren't these 2" inchies great!! She did so much work on them. They are ornaments!!

The next pictures are ribbon fabric. Made with different ribbons and threads and fibers and fancy machine stitches. Aren't they fabulous!

zentangles

2011-09-25T00:27:00.000-07:00

These are some zentagles I made on weekend. All the colored areas are fabric that was adhesive backed. I cut out leaf shapes and also used the leftover shapes. It was fun to do. The fabrics are batiks. I reference my different zentangle drawing books and then lots of time do my own thing.

doll and runner

2011-09-25T00:22:00.000-07:00

I had an order for a pixie doll that could be left up year round and not a holiday doll. This is the doll I made. She is the Half-Pint Pixie pattern by Allison Morano. I love this pattern. She has had dyed body suit and the skirt and sleeves and hat is hand dyed wool felt. Lots of fun to make!

This is a table runner I made to give to my secret sister in October. Very fall!

Ten Years

2011-09-11T22:46:00.000-07:00

NEVER FORGET

two inchie squares for swap

2011-09-05T23:27:00.000-07:00

Here are some two inch squares I made for a swap. They are for hanging on a tree. We decided 2 inches is a lot easier than an inchie! They are lots of fun to do! Click on the picture for a closer look at the squares.

My hubby and Mallorie

2011-09-05T23:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't been sewing as much since I started watching Mallorie. But I have taken some piccies of her! :-) Here she is with her Grandpa!

Here she is on a quilt I made with squares I got in a trade on my CRAFT group. They are from all over the world. A lot of the ladies in the group live in Australia.

A new mermaid

2011-08-14T12:04:00.000-07:00

Here is a doll I made from Arley Berryhill's pattern. It is a great pattern. I used batiks and made a tibetan lamb wool wig. She is wired for posing. She has shells and beads sewn on. I had fun making her.

A new doll

2011-08-07T13:29:00.000-07:00

I have made three dolls lately but two of them are for challenges so I can't share until the challenges are complete. I can show you my third one. She is from the Pixie pattern by Allison Morano. I dyed the fabric for her outfit. She has on a wet felt hat (included in instructions for doll) I made her a little basket from a silk pod and felt.

Mallorie

2011-07-27T23:07:00.000-07:00

July 20 was my first practice day with Mallorie. I have had to change my sleeping schedule so I will be able to watch her. Here is pics from that day. She is such a cutie!

I also babysat her today. I will be doing three days a week for nine hours a day. I hope I can manage!

Granddaughter Kassy

2011-07-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

This Tuesday and Wednesday my granddaughter spent the night. She is 12. We spent the time sewing. She made a quilt with batting from a charm square pack called It's a Hoot from Moda. I put up my design wall so she could organize the squares how she wanted them. She then sewed it together and then bagged the top and back and batting. I helped stitch in the ditch for her. She gave it to her cousin Mallorie.

Kassy sewing and her finished quilt

Another birthday present made

2011-07-13T02:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a bag for another birthday girl in my mini group. We are going to have a party this month for two ladies. It was made using the Simplicity charm pack from Moda.

This is a crazy quilted shoe pin cushion for her too!

Charity sewing

2011-07-03T01:21:00.000-07:00

This is a quilt that the six ladies in my mini group made for an auction to benefit the breast

cancer wing of a local hospital. We each hand
appliqued the flower blocks and machine
pieced the the other blocks. One lady put it
all together and another quilted in on her
machine.
I also made a stuffed monkey to send to Australia to some ladies making and accepting "huggles" for children in Ethiopia.
Click here for info:
http://amanda-lotshappening.blogspot.com/2011/06/huggles-for-ethiopia-prizes-galore.html

Bag for my friend

2011-07-03T01:04:00.000-07:00

Here is a bag I made from some Asian fabrics for

my friend's birthday. The top part has tiny tucks

in a grid pattern with pearls sewn at each

intersection.

bag for MIL

2011-07-03T01:02:00.000-07:00

Here is a bag I made for my MIL for her birthday on Monday.

It is made from a charm pack called Verna by Moda.

My sewing space

2011-06-27T23:48:00.000-07:00

Her are some piccies of my sewing room

I love fabric!!

My closet bins

fabric and craft items in cupboards

my cutting table

My friend has her machine at my extra table

My machine and sewing table

Lace and fabric picture collage

2011-06-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

I had this fabric piece with pictures and sayings for a baby girl. I wanted to make a kind of crazy quilt collage with my old and new laces and the pictures. I added a few charms, beads and ribbon work

Here is a close up of some of the beading and ribbon flowers

Quilt and doll and family

2011-06-12T14:41:00.000-07:00

Here is a quilt top I have finished using Asian fabrics. It was a gift and there was a jelly roll of strips and the pattern and some pieces of fabrics. Now I just have to quilt it!

It was my granddaughter Kassy's 12th birthday. I went to visit her and give her present.
From left to right: my grandson Calvin, my SIL Brian, my daughter Samantha and my new granddaughter Mallorie, my granddaughter Kassy, my daughter Stephanie.
Sam and Brian are married.

Here is my new doll I made from Barbara Willis' book Cloth Doll Artistry. It is a nice book!

The clothes are made from silks. Her body is doe suede, silks and batiks. Her hair is mohair. I love all the embellishing that Barbara's dolls have.

Hoffman Challenge doll

2011-05-31T15:30:00.001-07:00

This is my doll for the Hoffman Challenge. She is called 'Asian Steampunk'. I had lots of fun doing the Victorian/gear thing. Her obi is a corset and the tie is instead geared wings. Her fan is geared too. She has her goggles and top hat but still has the Kimono look.

These are a closeup of her boots. The band has little watch gears on it

Baby Mallorie and crocheted sweater

2011-05-27T23:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Mallorie on Sunday May 22. She is five days old.

Here is Mallorie on Thursday the 26. Finally got her when she wasn't sleeping

Here is a great pic of Mom and Mallorie.

Here is the little sweater I crocheted.
Had to make a pink one!

New granddaughter

2011-05-19T23:26:00.001-07:00

I have been off line as my Internet was down. I am back now and a new provider and faster connection! Yea!
My new granddaughter Mallorie was born Wed. May 18 at 2:19 am. She weighed in at 7 lbs and 9 ounces and is 19 1/2 inches long. It was a long labor and grandpa and I were there the whole time. We have seen each of our grandkids being born. It is so exciting watching them being born. A real miracle!

Here is a picture of Mallorie and daughter Samantha.

Here is a picture of my hubby with Mallorie

Baby's Room

2011-04-26T23:17:00.000-07:00

Here are pics I took of mom and the baby's room with the rest of the things I made!
Here is the crib bumpers that match the diaper stacker.

Matching quilt and curtains. I added the pink with the white polka dots as she wanted the feminine touch added to the Jungle Babies.

Sam sure is big! Only three weeks to her due date!

The mobile that matches the Jungle Babies. This I bought! LOL

Practicing Free Motion quilting

2011-04-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

I made some table mats and a runner from charm square packs so I could practice some free motion quilting. Not real good.....I still have trouble with curve control. But I like how the turned out. Love the pattern on the square mat.

This is the square tablemat pattern.

I need tons of work on my feathers

Diaper Stacker

2011-04-16T14:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been remiss in taking pictures again. I made the the crib bumpers, curtains diaper stacker and bound a premade quilt for my daughter's baby's room. I did get a picture of the diaper stacker so you can at least see the fabric my daughter chose. It is a cute jungle baby theme.
She is having a girl!

Quilt Show

2011-04-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

This last Saturday and Sunday was my quilt guild's quilt show. It turned out really nice. Here are a few of the quilts at the show.

The lady on the left was our featured quilter. She is Geraldine Nall, a member of our guild. She is an excellent minature artist. These are some of her quilts.

Here are some felt quilts. I really like these.

This is looking down one of the rows. We have our show at the refurbished Blue Goose Shed. It adds a lot of ambiance to the show. It is an old fruit shed next to the railroad where local growers would send off there produce to markets.

This is another of Geraldine's minatures. The pieces are so tiny!

Ribbons for quilt show

2011-03-27T23:43:00.000-07:00

I am chairman of the ribbons committee for the quilt show next week for one of my quilt guilds. We are a rather poor guild so I chose to make the ribbons and donate them as opposed to turning in receipts. They took me a while. Our show is called 'Romance in Bloom', so I made ribbon flowers for the awards. Here is a picture of them. Four categories and three winners in each plus 3 honorable mentions for the quilt and wall hanging category as there are so many entries in that one.

I was also sick last week so lost time in making them. Had the flu but feeling better now. The only thing was I was sick when my daughter's baby shower was held so I didn't get to go. But we are doing baby shopping tomorrow for stuff she didn't get at the shower.

Finished my next challenge quilt

2011-03-07T00:30:00.000-08:00

The theme for the challenge was wedding. We were giving a hankie and a pice of white on white fabric. We were told to use lace. This is what I made. It is titled 'Penguin and Turtle'. It is my youngest daughter's wedding. This is their first dance.The hankie I got was black. I used it and lace on the first border. The colors yellow and burgandy were her colors for the wedding. The ribbon below is left over ribbon from the wedding with the names and date on it. There is a turtle button at one eand representing Brian and a penguin button representing Samantha. We tried hard to find a cake topper with a turtle and penguin but ended up with a glass one of penguin bride and groom. The turtle and penguin are the bride and grooms favorite animals.

This is a close up view. I used bullion stitch to simulate the flowers in her hair

These are close ups of my not so great machine quilting. It is the first time I have done anything but meandering!

A few things

2011-02-21T14:41:00.000-08:00

I made a little felt elephant for a Circus challenge on CDA. She is about 5 inches high. She is doing the one leg stand! LOL

These are ATC's for a winter wonderland ATC swap on CDA. I had fun making them.

Finished my Challenge quilt

2011-02-12T14:19:00.000-08:00

The squares are 16" and the quilt is 64" x 76". I used a lot of fabrics I had bought right after 9/11. This quilt will be donated with all the guild's challenge quilts to local soldiers stationed overseas in the war zones. Our theme was patriotic. I think it turned out nice. The beige strips have usa quilted across them. I have quilted hearts here and there around the quilt and have named the quilt Hidden Hearts.

Crocheted baby jacket

2011-02-06T01:10:00.000-08:00

I finished the little crochet jacket for my upcoming granddaughter due in May. At the time I started this I didn't know the sex. I am now working on a pink one when I am not working on my challenge quilt. I am ready to quilt it so look for pics of the quilt in the near future!

A close up of the pattern

Started Challenge

2011-01-27T23:15:00.000-08:00

I finally started one of my challenges for my quilt guilds. Found out it is due next month instead of March! Yikes!! We are to use the fabrics with packet and make a quilt at least 60" x 72". It is to be patriotic themed. All the challenge quilts are being donated to local residents serving overseas. Our last two challenges have been donated.

I am using all the patriotic fabrics I have. Not buying any fabric as it is all from my stash!! Yeah!
The large stars are going to be alternating blue and red and there will be four stars in a row. I am going to have to quilt as I go as that size is hard for me to fit in my machine.

New year and Swap

2011-01-12T00:15:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone is having a great new year. Also all my prayers go out to the people in Queensland dealing with all the flooding.

I have finally got my house back to it's regular non Christmas state. Looks so bare! It took me forever because my knee has been bothering me so much since cold weather set in.

I recieved my swap from Judy today. I am having so much fun swapping with my Aussie partner!!

The pin is so gorgeous and the fun shoe note pad and laces are fab!! Thanks Judy!!

Happy New Year!!!

2011-01-01T01:18:00.000-08:00

I hope that this year will be our best ever and may you have many fun hours crafting and sewing!

Amanda's 100th post giveaway

2011-01-01T01:09:00.000-08:00

Amanda is having a giveaway for her 100th post. Go visit her by clicking on her name. She is the one that held the Christmas challenge that I made dolls and quilts and runners for! Fun!!

Christmas Pics

2010-12-31T01:21:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pics from celebrations of Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Me and Hubby go to his parents, along with all the family that is here, for Christmas Eve and have a buffet style dinner. Everyone brings something for the feast! On Christmas day we go his parents house for the morning and open gifts from name exchange. We have a breakfast made by our kids! (adult kids!) Then we go back to our house and my kids and their family come and we open gifts to each other. Then we nap!! Then we go back to his parents for Christmas dinner. It is actually the same as Christmas Eve as everyone brings enough for both days. I had a great time all around and got a great chair to sew in and some other things!

This is myfamily.....Steve (hubby), Brian (son in law), Samantha (daughter), Stephanie (daughter), Chad (son in law)
Kassy (granddaughter), Calvin (grandson)
My daughter Samantha is expecting in May!!!

Chad and Calvin

Brian, Samantha and Kassy

Stephanie

My Mother in law.....Louise

My Father in law.....Ed

Some of my relatives!

Busy and trying to post

2010-12-22T01:13:00.000-08:00

I finally decided to go thru my explorer instead of aol to access my blog. I haven't been able to get in! Yikes!!! I have been shopping and doing Christmas stuff! Here's a few piccies of swaps and my live tree.

Steven got a lovely tree this year!

These are the things I got from Patt Jenks in my Secret Santa swap on GlitterTownDolls. The ornament is so cute and love the hair and beads and frilly snowflake ornaments. Thanks Patt!

This is the wonderful Magi Quilt and little kitty magnet that I got from Pat Brammer on the CRAFT group Christmas swap. Isn't it a great quilt!

I am going to have to take another picture of the wonderful pins I got from Judy. I seem to have got rid of it before downloading to my computer. They are fab and I have already worn them to my Christmas parties we had at my quilt guilds. Fun time last week on Monday and Wednesday. Both were potlucks so lots of great food!

Alice and Mad Hatter

2010-12-09T23:30:00.000-08:00

I made these dolls awhile ago for a challenge. The challenge has ended so I can show them to you now. I love Alice in Wonderland and collect Alice items. I had lots of fun making these dolls which will stay in my collection. Alice was made using a Sherry Goshon pattern and the Mad Hatter was adapted from a Phat Phaeries pattern.

Christmas decorating

2010-12-02T00:46:00.000-08:00

I have been decorating and just finished the other day. Here are some piccies.

Been a while!

2010-12-02T00:26:00.000-08:00

I have been busy! Here is a jester I made for a swap. My friend Judy collects clowns and Jesters.

This is a angel that I made for a Christmas swap. The lady collects Angels. She is a funny one being a pattern by Jill Maas. I love Jill's patterns.

This is a mouse ornament I made for ornament exchange at my quilt guild. December is a fun month in both guilds as we have pot lucks. At my other guild I signed up to decorate a table and bring plates and such.

Quilts and a surprise in the mail

2010-11-12T00:16:00.000-08:00

I finally finished quilting my Christmas quilt. Yeah! I got it done before Christmas. LOL

I never showed my buttonhole appliqued quilt top put together. Here it is. I just have to decide how to quilt it. I think I might stipple around the appliques.

Look what my friend Barbara sent to me in the mail. It is parts for a little porcelain baby. Was so sweet of her to think of me. I will make a body for her and then crochet a dress and bonnet.

Winter Goddess swap

2010-10-31T01:29:00.000-07:00

This is a doll I made for a swap on one of my Yahoo groups. It is a Winter Goddess swap. I used a snowlake batik for the body, white venice lace, silver net, and her hair is knitted silver fun fur. She has plastic snowflakes in her head piece. I used blue pens and pencils for features for winter.

Gifts from the FRIENDS swap

2010-10-31T01:17:00.000-07:00

Great gifts I got from Leonie.
F-fabric (with cute koalas), festive (red and green banner)
R- repurposed ( a lovely bag from used linen w a crochet motif on the pocket)
I- ideas (magazine
E- embroidery hoop wall hanging (Lovely yoyo flowers)
N-needle keeper (made from the jean fabric)
D-dark chocolate (I ate it all! Yumm)
S-souveniers for grandchildren (Aussie rulers,pencil and eraser sets)
Love them all!!!

Pumpkins-Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T01:04:00.000-07:00

These are pumpkins and some overgrown zuchinni that my hubby grew in his garden for our porch display. He hopes one day to grow the 'big' one! LOL

Tablemat for Thanksgiving

2010-10-31T01:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a tablemat I made from some precut pieces that had fusible on them. I got them at a garage sale. I made this for my Mother in law as she always has Thanksgiving at her house. The leaf fabric is flannel and soft. I used some glitter paints too.

swap stuff I recieved

2010-10-25T02:01:00.000-07:00

Here are two pins made from my friend Judy in Australia. Aren't they great!!

This is the jester pin I made for Judy. This was our second swap. The lady pin is from our first swap when I made the mermaid.

This is my finished round robin doll that I just got back. Isn't she wonderful!!! I just love her head piece and those sleeves! Cherie and Wanda worked on her. I tried to find the picture of the blank doll I sent but don't know where it went!

This is a picture of all the stuff I sent for my FRIENDS swap hosted by Khris. My partner was Leonie. I had lots of fun making and buying the things for her.

Pictures of swaps I can share now!

2010-10-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

This is a Christmas Elf, Ellie, I made for the FRIENDS swap. My partner has recieved her so now you can see too! My partner loves red and white polka dots so she is dresse in little outfit of that fabric. She is made from a Jill Maas pattern.

This is a needlecase I made for the same swap. I just love the picture. It is an image on fabric from Joggles.

This is a mermaid doll pin I made for a one on one swap. She is holding a little seahorse!

Black cat fron Kat Lee's class

2010-10-17T01:10:00.000-07:00

This is a fabric cat I made. It is part of a class on making a Halloween coach, witch and cat by Kat Lees. It called for plastic spiders but I had a beaded one I had made on hand so used that one for on the tail!

He has a collar with Halloween charms.

Christmas quilt

2010-10-17T00:56:00.000-07:00

I made this top and haven't quilted it yet. It is for Amanda's October Challenge. I made it from a Moda jelly roll called Candylane Christmas. It is a pretty easy pattern but looks really nice.

A close up of the fabric.....

Christmas pixie

2010-10-06T14:04:00.000-07:00

I finsihed a doll for the guild sale. She is 7 inches. It is from a pattern by Margaret Leyland. I had fun with this tiny doll. She has BIG feet!

more Zentangles

2010-10-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

These are really fun! I love doing them at night.
Here is my face one finished.

Shading with the pencil really makes them 3d!

A doll for Fall

2010-09-25T00:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a little fairy I created from a Lotus Vela pattern. All dressed for Fall. I made her wings from gold metal fabric.

Zentangles

2010-09-20T22:46:00.000-07:00

I have been doodling a bit with the help of the Zentangle's books. They teach you how to doodle. Here are a couple of my projects. These are drawn in a 9" x 6" book.
Here are a couple links to check it out. The first one is the Zentangle blog and the second one is Judy's blog about her drawing and Zentangles.
It is fun to do and kind of relaxing. As you can see I haven't learned how to relaz totally and so mine get a bit messy!

http://zentangle.blogspot.com/
http://judymccarthysdrawings.blogspot.com/

Table runners finished

2010-09-16T23:33:00.000-07:00

Here is my Halloween string pieced table runner. I think it turned out great and so Autumnish looking! You can't see the quilting but I did easy leaves on the runners instead of my usual meandering.

The string one is the runner for the large table and the crazy quilt one is for the smaller kitchen table.

Quilt along

2010-09-07T13:57:00.000-07:00

I am in a Yahoo group called CRAFT (creat really amazing friends together). We have been doing some string piecing and taking pictures and posting them on our group so it feels like we are all quilting together. Some of the gals that have vid cams have been setting up vid chats to sew together. It is fun.
here is what I have done. They are going to be Halloween table runners

The first is going to be a runner for dinning table.

The crazy quilt type I am going to make two more squares and have a runner for the kitchen counter.

I will post more pics after they are put together. I have done both types of squares on a muslin foundation using the stitch and flip method.

New mermaid

2010-08-24T14:35:00.000-07:00

I have been working on a mermaid from the pattern Aquaria by Michelle Harrold. I played with the organdy burning on organza for the skirt and sleeves and flowers. She was fun to do. She has webbed hands!

Finished Colleen's Pattern!

2010-08-17T00:32:00.000-07:00

Here is the doll that goes with the picture of the wires and fabric. She is called Snowflake/Spider Sprite by Colleen Babcock. I have been testing her for Colleen. She is the greatest doll. I really love this pattern.

Here is a close up of the face. It is so soft and wonderful! Don't you just love her snowflake hat!!

This is the back. You can see what I made with the wires! She is a hanging doll.

Crafts and stuff!

2010-08-14T23:38:00.000-07:00

Here is an ATC (artist trading card) I made for a swap on CDA. I painted the card with watercolor pencils. I added glue cyrstals to the tail and glitter to the tail fluke and bra. The sand and ocean have no hole beads glued on top. I hope my partner likes her.

What is this???? Stay tuned as I am testing a pattern for Colleen Babcock!

Christmas projects

2010-08-06T00:55:00.000-07:00

Here is August Challenge for Amanda's blog. It is a centerpiece tree made of wool felt. It has wool felt baubles and beads on it. It is on a wood pedestal and stand I painted red.

Here is a Giraffe I made in Christmas colors holding Christmas lights! LOL It is from a Mellie and Me pattern called Mrs. Perkins. The mane is fun fur yarn in shiny red. It really does shimmer!

Here is a 13" square mat I made with the rest of the squares I have given the grandkids to make their mats. Just had to sew them together. Lots of little squares!

Grandkids weekend

2010-08-01T00:21:00.000-07:00

The grandkids were here for a sleepover weekend. We had lots of fun. My hubby does all the outside stuff with them as I don't do heat very well. They helped grandpa in the garden and then my grandson and hubby finished building the go-cart they had been working on. My grandson wanted to make a mat with tiny squares. I just happen to have a bag of 1 1/2 in squares that I gave him and granddaughter to design some tiny mats. The finished size of the squares is 1 inch. They put together the pattern and I sewed them up! We did this so Papa could nap for a while! LOL

Kassy, Calvin and Papa

The squares that I sewed together for grandkids. They are backed with fabric pillowcase style.

Dolls and quilting

2010-07-31T00:35:00.000-07:00

This is a doll I made for the primative Americana challenge On Cloth Doll Artistry. I used new fabric but vintage lace pieces. We all used the same pattern made by Sherrie Nordgren. I had fun making her. She didn't win but I was happy with her.

This is a doll I made for the School Doll Challenge at CDA. The pattern is by Lizzie Dodd. She is 7 inches high and dressed in Vintage laces and cloth pieces. She is a Victorian schoolgirl from 1900's. I named her Diane after my mom who had lovely long brown hair.

These are some placemats I made for Christmas for our TV dinner wooden trays. We alway eat in front of the TV my hubby and me! I experimented with the quilting on these.

2010-07-22T14:29:00.000-07:00

This is a bag I made for my friend's birthday. It has an elastic top pocket on each side of the outside of the bag. It is a zipper closure. The inside has a zippered pocket and a simple pocket with different size openings.

Here is the inside view

This is a pin I made to go inside the purse as you can't give an empty purse as a gift!

Baby quilt

2010-07-17T23:27:00.000-07:00

My niece just had a baby girl. I made this quilt for her. It is bright but I love bright colors for a baby. I think it is stimulating!

It has been hot here in Northern California. Thank goodness we don't have the humidity of the mid west and east coast. It makes those 100+ days easier to get thru. I have been inside a lot so am getting a lot of sewing and crafting done!

July Challenge

2010-07-12T00:17:00.000-07:00

Here is the table runner I made for Amanda's Christmas in July challenge for the month of July. It is made from a Moda charm pack called '12 Days of Christmas'. I don't usually do blue for Christmas but these fabrics are great!!

Fourth of July quilt

2010-07-12T00:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a quilt I made from blocks I won at my guild's block of the month. I won them a couple of years ago and finally got around to putting them together. About time Hey! LOL

2010-07-04T01:24:00.003-07:00

This is an apron I made for my Mother in law's birthday which is July 4th! She loves owls so I used some cute owl fabric I had! It has row of pockets all along the bottom.

row round robin

2010-07-04T01:21:00.000-07:00

This is a quilt made by me and 7 other ladies. It was my quilt guilds round robin last year. We made a row every month for someone else's quilt according to what they wanted. All the info and first row and each succeeding rows were in an envelop passed on each month. At the end of 8 months we got our own envelop back and could put together our quilt. I chose colorful batiks and gave the gals the freedom to choose how to do their row. I made the fifth row down as my starting row. I think it turned out great!

Last penguin ornaments

2010-07-04T01:12:00.000-07:00

nine ladies dancing

ten lords a leaping

eleven pipers piping

tweleve drummers drumming

Well, I have finished all twelve days of Christmas ornaments now. Here are the last four.

Birthday gift for friend

2010-06-26T23:36:00.000-07:00

Here are pics of the birthday gifts I made for my friend Beth. She love Asian fabrics.
This is a bag with a nice big Alexander Henry print.

This is a matching zippered pouch.This is a little Japanese trinket bag and I have put some buttons in it for Beth.

More 12 days of Christmas ornaments

2010-06-26T23:20:00.000-07:00

Here are some more of my penguin 12 days of Christmas ornaments.

only four mor to go now!

Father's Day

2010-06-20T23:28:00.000-07:00

The girls and grandkids came up today to see dad and Papa! He has been building a coop for the chickens.
Kassy and Calvin inside the coop.

Stephanie, Kassy and Papa! They like what he has done so far.

The chickens have sure gotten big. We have two roosters and two hens. Sure hope there are no fights!

Samantha and Kassy at the table.

June ornament for Amanda's Christmas challenge

2010-06-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

Here is my June ornament for Amanda's Christmas challenge. Santa is made from wool felt with roving wool for his hat band. He has bead eyes and nose. Next is the Christmas runner for July!

A couple of ornies for my 12 days of Christmas challenge

2010-06-13T02:22:00.000-07:00

These are the first two ornaments. A penguin in a pear tree and two turtle doves. On to the next two. I am way behind and should have already completed 6 but the dresses came first!

Christmas in July Challenge

2010-06-05T22:49:00.000-07:00

Amanda is having a challenge over on her blog! Check it out! Click here.
It is going to be lots of fun!

Final dress and a bag

2010-06-05T22:43:00.000-07:00

Here is the final dress after having to tear it apart and put it together again for alterations. The girl picked it up today and it fit beautifully! So I am officially done with the bridesmaid's dresses. What a relief! Of course after all that seam ripping my hand and arm ache. A slight case of tight thumb and carpal tunnel. But now I can do other stuff!!

I hope to get a picture of all four girls in their dresses from the bride after the wedding which is next weekend.

There was a party for our secret sister revealing a couple weeks ago. This is the last gift I recieved my my secret sister! It is so colorful and I love it. The inside has pockets all the way around the bottom of the bag. I never even guessed who it was! The lady I gave gifts to gave me a kit to make a table runner. It was a fun party!

Dress for Kassy's report

2010-05-17T23:51:00.000-07:00

Here is a pioneer dress and bonnet I made for Kassy to give her report in. She is doing a report on Laura Ingall Wilder and the teacher wanted them to be in character. Luckily I had a bolt of calico in the closet left from my doll dressing business. I did have to buy a pattern in her size though. 40% off and it was still $10. Not to cheap to sew these days!

Chicks!! Cheep, cheep!

2010-05-17T23:47:00.000-07:00

Well I got some more chickens as my grandson Calvin asked if he could bring some chicks up here from their 2nd grade project. Every 2nd grade get to raise chicks from eggs and when they are three weeks old who ever has permission from their parents can bring some home. Since we have acreage the grands always ask us if we can keep them. This time we got four chicks and hubby will be building a coop that they can stay in protected from the coyotes.

Pictures here are granddaughter Kassy and grandson Calvin.

Here is a picture of all four chicks.Kassy and Calvin came up yesterday to play with them. Calvin was taking pics too so I only got Kassy with the chicks.

all quilt squares together

2010-05-10T00:11:00.000-07:00

I haven't been posting much as my Internet wasn't working well. We had the repairman come last week and he fixed it. I have satellite. He said my reception strength was like bad dial up! Any way I am back and able to upload photos. Here is a picture of all the folk art applique blocks up on my design wall. I am working on the math for all the inbetween sashings now.

Mother's Day

2010-05-10T00:04:00.000-07:00

Aren't flowers wonderful! I got roses from my daughter's garden and a carnation plant today. One of my best presents ever.....My 10 year old granddaughter Kassy gave me a pedicure! It was so precious. She had brought her kit with her of all the stuff she would need. I had the footbath and we were all set. She scrubed and bathed and lotioned my feet and then she painted my toenails. She even put nail polish dot flowers on my big toe nails. It was so fun having her do this and it was all her idea too!!

Last two squares and one of the dresses

2010-04-18T00:08:00.000-07:00

Here are the last two squares of the folk art quilt. I can't wait to sew it together. I am going to change the sashings a bit and the border as the pattern is a bit plain.

I have finshed two of the bridesmaids dresses and finally the other two came for fitting today. Here's a picture of the dress. Not very good pic but don't have a mannequin to show off a strappless dress. The leopard belt has tucks and the bodice ad skirt also has a few tucks. Very hard to see with the black. I hate working with black! LOL

Close up of the bodice.

More quilt blocks finished

2010-04-05T14:27:00.000-07:00

Here are some more of the folk art fused applique blocks. There are only two more to finish and then I have to make some sashings.

Internet woes and new stuff

2010-04-03T15:03:00.000-07:00

I have been having tons of trouble connecting to the Internet. Not really sure what it is as it works intermittenly like now. Any who I think it is good enough to upload piccies of what I have been doing.

Two of the girls came for a fitting for the bridemaids dresses I am making. Only a few modifications so I am happy and can now cut into the actual dress fabric as patterns are set.

While waiting on the girls I have been making some fusible applique blocks from a kit a friend gave me.

This is a close up of one of the blocks. I fused the pieces to the background and used variegated thread and stitched around each applique piece with a machine buttonhole stitch. I have made 4 more blocks since this picture. I will try and get more pictures tomorrow.

Here is a doll I made for my secret sister reveal. She collects sunflower stuff so I made a sunflower doll. If I make a doll any sooner than the reveal they would know who their secret sister was!

Another Bag

2010-03-14T00:49:00.000-08:00

I have been working on some bridesmaids dresses for the last month. Mostly making the patterns as I am copying a dress that the brides likes. Well I don't like making patterns much so I decided to take a break and make a bag for my friend's birthday at the end of the month.

I used a charm square pack from Moda and some bamboo handles I had. I also made a matching small wallet. Hope she like them!

What a mess!

2010-03-03T15:22:00.000-08:00

I decided to purge my sewing room of fabrics and stuff I don't use anymore. (I had a doll costuming business) I ended up filling up about 7 trash bags full of stuff to donate to my quilt guild auction this month. I also got rid of lots of magazines. Here is a picture of the mess!

I also moved some of the containers on the window seat to the closet! Feels nice to be able to see all my stuff!

New bag

2010-03-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

This is the bag/purse I made for my secret sister for this month. The middle is the French braid pattern. It was fun to do. I also used that pattern for the inside pockets. These are Moda fabrics from a couple years ago except the dark peach.

Shirley Temple Quilt

2010-02-24T14:17:00.000-08:00

Well here is the quilt! I like how it turned out. It is 36' x 36'. The stars around Shirley are because she was a star! She was America's sweetheart, thus the patriotic colors including the sparkle blue star fabric. I quilted a free motion heart design in the border because she was our sweetheart!

The quilting

The star with the movie symbols in the middle

Shirley and stuff

2010-02-13T00:07:00.000-08:00

I started my Shirley Temple quilt. This is the center. I drew her face from a picture I found on the internet. I used my oil penicils.We were given three fabrics we have to use in the quilt. One is a novelty of small movie cameras, reels, popcorn and such. One is popcorn fabric and one looks like movie reel film. The center has the popcorn for her hair. I think it makes great curly hair! The film strip fabric is there too. I am going to write the names of her movies in each square. I am working on the stars that go on next. The center of those will be the last fabric. It is 15" square. I like it so far.

The next picture is the pin I recieved for my last ever pin doll allley swap. My partner made Miga the same as me!! LOL

The last picture is Georgie. He is my win from Cody's blog. Fabulous Sculpture!!

The pincushions and design wall

2010-02-12T23:56:00.000-08:00

Well here are the pincushions I was making. They are wool felt. The first is in an old mini basket I had. When It is covered with pins it will look like a cactus. The middle one is over a jar top. Some embroidery and lovely trim. The last one is a patchwork of wool scraps attatched to an old glass jar lid.
Here is my design wall. It is just a piece of the stuff that the fabric sticks too, about 60" x 60". I put a fabric strip at the top for the clips to hang on too. My husband brought in two wreath holders and some pvc pipe and that makes it really easy to put up and take down as I have it over my closet.

A bag for a friend

2010-02-06T23:10:00.000-08:00

I have made this bag for my friend's birthday. She wanted purple and turquoise. I think this batik works great. The handle is braided. The dark purple on the front of the bag is a stone that has a whole for a necklace. I am using it as part of the closure.

I have been fiddling with making some pincushions too. Maybe I will get some pictures tomorrow.

I am also going to start my Shirley Temple quilt. I have it all laid out and ready to go . My husband help me make a design wall too that will be easy to put up and take down. He is clever!

I won!!

2010-02-01T23:46:00.000-08:00

I won a blog give away!! Yipee!!!!! It is a little sculpted monster goblin by Cody. I am so lucky and thrilled to be getting art from such a creative individual!

new doll and pindoll

2010-02-01T23:42:00.000-08:00

This is Miga, a pin I made of one of the mascots for the Vancouver Olympics. It is the last pin doll swap for my pin doll alley group as Connie is closing the group. Our last theme was the winter olympics.

I have been working a new doll for a Valentine's challenge. I used a pattern by Jill Maas. I made her into a Valentine's fairy!

She was fun to make.

First hand applique block

2010-01-22T00:39:00.000-08:00

My mini group is making a quilt for the breast cancer auction in September. It is a combination pieced and applique quilt. Here is one of the applique blocks I made. I made four the same. It was made using the freezer template and starch method. It worked really well for me as this was my first HAND applique block. I have done fusible but found this method for hand applique quite easy!

ATD's

2010-01-22T00:21:00.000-08:00

I joined this month's art doll atc swap on my ATC and paper art doll list. You send two to your partner. The theme was Alice in Wonderland. My favorite! They need to fit in an conventional size ATC sleeve.
Here they are folded up

Here they are unfolded. One is called 'Off With Her Head', the red queen and the other is called 'Alice'

Some pins I recieved

2010-01-22T00:15:00.000-08:00

The girl pin was one I got in the Holiday swap on CDA list. Isn't she cute with her velvet dress and cookie! The little gingerbread man was from last month's pin doll alley swap. He is a cutey too made from clay. My pin doll alley is closing down but I will continue to do pin swaps thru Cloth Doll Artistry list on ning.

Another mouse

2010-01-13T23:18:00.000-08:00

Here is a mouse I made for an online mouse swap. She and her baby are made from wool felt.