Karrin's Crazy World

TAST, WEEK 6, Chevron Stitch

2012-02-12T05:24:00.000-08:00

Sharon B's stitch for TAST last week was the Chevron Stitch. I don't know why, but this is not my favorite stitch, although I can see a lot of different things can be done with it, that I might like better than the basic stitch. I only have one example this time, but I did take it beyond the basic stitch and I like what I did. I stacked 2 rows of different colored Chevron on top of each other and put a bugle bead in between.

Gypsy Feather

2012-02-07T18:39:00.000-08:00

Another of my absolute favorite Etsy shops is Gypsy Feather. Liz has delightful collections and bits of lace, trim, vintage jewelery that can be used in CQ or scrapbooking. I always love visiting her shop, and get in trouble quite often!

Cathy's Crazy by Design

2012-02-07T18:33:00.000-08:00

Cathy also has an Etsy shop here that I also recently purchased some golden-dyed laces and they came several days ago, and I am again thrilled with the beautiful laces. Again my picture does not do them justice.

NICKI LEE'S RAVIOLEE DREAMS-

2012-02-07T18:24:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to plug some of my favorite Etsy shops. Nicki Lee has some beautifully dyed laces, of which I bought some recently and am quite thrilled Her Etsy shop is here.

My photo does not do them justice, they are better seen on her site.

TAST, WEEK 5, HERRINGBONE STITCH

2012-02-07T18:09:00.000-08:00

Time got away from me this week, I had my stitches done, but my computer was not cooperating downloading my pictures.

Sharon B's stitch for the TAST, week 5 was the Herringbone stitch. I use this one frequently and have some samples from my WIP (works in progress) and my CQJP-February block.

This one is really hard to see, but the herringbone is in a cream-colored thread with blue beads.

This is a double herringbone.

With detached chain stitches

This is one from my CQJP stacked on top of one another with beads where they connect

From another WIP, with elongated chains and wotj straight stitches crossing the herringbone stitches

Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2012-February

2012-02-01T07:24:00.000-08:00

Today, as it is my day off, I wanted to star working on my block for February for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project. This is actually a re-purposed block. It started out life as my block for one of Sharon B's online classes in Encrusted Crazy Quilting. With the exception of my grandparent's picture, this was as far as it got, before life got in the way. So for the month of February, I added their picture and am going to embellish this one. But first thing I think I am taking off the turquoise bit of lace, or maybe it is the stupid looking ribbon flowers that are bothering me beneath it. Something has to go, and I am going to figure it out first thing this morning and get going on it.

TAST-2012, Week 4, Cretan Stitch

2012-01-28T04:16:00.000-08:00

Sharon B's choice of stitch this week on Take a Stitch Tuesday was the Cretan stitch. This is another one of my favorites and my examples this week happen to be on my Crazy Quilt Journal Project for January block.

Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2012-January

2012-01-27T19:19:00.000-08:00

I finished my January block for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project. Mine is going to be all about family. This was with my mother and 3 siblings. I am the tall girl with the ugly bathing suit on. I had a sullen look on my face that day because my picture is being taken in this really ugly bathing suit, while my little sister with the lovely curly hair has a pink bathing suit on with little ruffles! This was a fun block to work on and brought back memories. I made a first attempt at the same block but it was too pastel for me. I am thinking of finishing that one and giving it to my sister for her birthday this year.

TAST-2012, Week 3, Feather Stitch

2012-01-23T09:02:00.000-08:00

Sharon B's stitch last week was the feather stitch which is absolutely my most favorite stitch.

This is another example with feather stitch using my friend Rengin's
beautiful oya flowers.

These pictures are all from a work in progress I am slowly working on. I thought I took a picture of the whole piece, but apparently it didn't come out.

TAST-2012, Week , Buttonhole Stitch

2012-01-15T04:48:00.000-08:00

Week 2 of Sharon B's Take a Stitch Tuesday was the Buttonhole Stitch. I use this a lot in quilting, and I love making buttonhole flowers and leaves. The variegated thread I used didn't show up too good, but I didn't want to start over.

TAST, Fly Stitch, Part 2

2012-01-15T04:40:00.000-08:00

I added some more to my fly stitch from last week. This is a weekly challenge from Sharon B's Take a Stitch Tuesday. I decided I was going to put my little samples in a plastic sleeve and keep them in a notebook, so I went back and did a sample I could keep in the notebook.

TAST-2012, Week 1, Fly Stitch

2012-01-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

I decided to also join Sharon B's Take A Stitch Tuesday this year. It is especially nice since I am off on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This was the first week's stitch, the fly stitch. I decided to use it on a wool basket block I had already made up from a wool round robin I had been. I didn't explore the stitch too much this week. But I decided I was going to do something each week, on each stitch. I plan to add more to this block, but today is Tuesday, and on to the next stitch!

Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2012

2011-11-16T08:18:00.000-08:00

Crazy Quilters, Please Join Us!!

The Crazy Quilt Journal Project is an annual challenge issued to all needle-artists to produce a major crazy quilt project within the established twelve month period.

The overall goals of the Project are:

-- To increase awareness of crazy quilting at the local, national, and international levels.

-- To challenge crazy quilter's to continually expand their creativity and improve their individual technical skills.

-- To inspire, and encourage crazy quilter's through publication of our individual works in a consolidated and inter-active web-based format.

-- To provide a central location for the public to view examples of crazy quilt projects in progress and completed.

Visit the CQJP Blog and register today!!

Our Honorary Chairman is none other than J. Marsha Michler, well known crazy quilter and author of many CQ and other books. Visit her website here.

We hope you will join us in this, the largest CQ project for 2012! Let’s work together to show the world our beautiful art!

I was catching up on my blogs yesterday and came across this. I am excited about this and ready to join!

Karrin

Back Hopefully

2010-07-12T08:39:00.000-07:00

Well I am back hopefully. Nothing major going on, just have been feeling blue for awhile about some decisions I had made. In March, I accepted an on-call position at Kaiser as a transcriptionist. I was told I would be called in about 5-6 times a month but I needed to be available when called. I put myself as working part-time at my on-line transcriptionist position (which this company did not like I ended up quitting. The Kaiser position, if they had let me work as first quoted would have paid me the equivalent of 2 weeks of working at the other position 6 days a week. Well I trained for 15 days, I worked 5 days for a girl who went on vacation in April and a couple of other day.o., worked 2 days in May, and June 2 days. This was a position working in pathology, where some of the doctors dictated under fans that were very noisy and I was having trouble with the dictation, plus the front office girl talking very loudly when she got excited. My on-line is digital quality dictation, and the sound quality at this Kaiser is going back about 25 years, plus the addition of the fans. So they haven't called me back. I meanwhile accepted another on-line position that again the pay is peanuts, and put in for a bunch of Kaiser positions. I think I am transferring out of Pathology, and have been accepted at another position, should hear back this week.

But in the midst of all this, we do have wonderful news. Katie, my baby, who will turn 31 next month, will be having her first baby, a boy, somewhere around September 17th. This was a picture I took last week at her 7 month appointment .

Wonderful squishie suprise

2010-04-23T09:36:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago I received a note from a follower of my blog, Michelle where she explained "My hands don't hand stitch any more. I would like to send you my box of laces, threads and embellishments. Would you take them and use them? I don't want anything more than to know my favorite things are being used."

Yesterday I received a large box and wondered what it was. Upon opening it I saw that it was Michelle's gift of laces, trims, a bunch of exciting fibers and threads. I will be able to use this bounty not only for crazy quilting but with my felting machine.

I felt like I was having Christmas all over again. Thanks again Michelle for such a wonderful bounty of materials and I will surely put them to good use!

Cathy's Giveaway

2010-04-15T09:27:00.000-07:00

Cathy is having a great giveaway, celebrating her 200th post, She has a lovely blog, Crazy by Design. Go check it out. You have until April 18th, 12 noon MST to enter.

Debbie's Having a Giveaway!

2010-02-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

Debbie just started a new blog and in celebration she is having a wonderful giveaway if you have not heard already. Go check it out!

Flower Fairies-Cathy's

2010-02-12T07:06:00.000-08:00

Wow, 2 posts in 1 day. Going off in today's mail are Cathy's Flower Fairies.

The fairy is sort of hard to see. But I worked on the Lilac Fairy. I added another sprig of lilac and a cloissone butterfly, and some fairy primrose silk ribbon flowers on the left hand side.

This was the block that Cobi worked on, the Willow Fairy.

This the the block that Ritva worked on, the Yarrow Fairy.

This was the block that Marci worked on, the Chicory Fairy.

And this was the block that Wendy worked on, the Apple Blossom Fairy.

These were all such lovely blocks, and a pleasure to work on. I think Cathy will be pleased.

Summer DYB-Cobi's

2010-02-12T06:45:00.000-08:00

Sorry it has been awhile. We are still coping with the death of my DMIL on January 18, 2010. We knew her death was imminent in December, and she assured us she would make sure it was after Christmas, and she did. She was a dear woman and is sorely missed by us all.

In January, I did finish working on Cobi's Summer do-your-own-block RR. Cobi requested a cottage garden-type theme. This is the block I worked on.

It is sort of hard to see, but I decided to make a gazebo, with a roof that is leaf-covered, and lots of flowers.

This is the block that Rita worked on. I loved the way it appeared as if you were looking out the window.

This was the block that Lyn worked on.

This is the block that Arlene worked on.

And this is the block that Rebecca worked on.

I was the last person in this round robin, so they were sent back home to Cobi.

Christmas Crackers

2009-12-29T06:20:00.000-08:00

I participated in the annual Christmas Cracker Swap on Crazy Quilting International this year. I wanted to last year but had too many things going on. Christmas Crackers are an English custom. You could sign up from 1-3 to swap, and I chose 2. What you do is take a paper towel cylinder and cut it to 7" and then stuff it with all sorts of CQ goodies and wrap it with either a plain fabric or piece a block, and embellish it or not.

This was the contents of the cracker I received from Aida. She made a lovely pieced block which wrapped my cracker on the top, and the rest were the contents, all soft of luscious ribbons, fabrics, trims lace and lace motifs and even a tape measure, of which I can never have enough. Thanks again Aida. I had so much fun opening this!

The next cracker I received was from Janet. This was the wrapping of the cracker, it is even gorgeously embellished!

And these were the contents of this cracker. It was chock full of beautiful fabric, lace and charms. I had such a good time with this swap, I am so glad I participated this year. Thanks again Janet, for a lovely pieced and embellished block and all the wonderful goodies inside!

SSCS Christmas Swap

2009-12-29T05:50:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned before, I was in Chookyblue's Christmas Swap again this year. This was the gift I received from Kate. It is a wonderful little primitive quiltlet, in my colors, my style, and I love it! The beautiful ornament and quiltlet were great additions to my wonderful Christmas! Thanks so much again!

Happy Holidays

2009-12-23T07:37:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to take a minute to wish you all Happy Holidays and a peaceful New Year!

I think I am just about ready, 1 or 2 more things to finish up.

SSCS Christmas Swap

2009-12-16T06:17:00.000-08:00

I joined Chookyblue's SSCS Christmas swap again this year, and received my package about
10 days ago. I am absolutely in love with my ornament. I am still trying to figure out how to make some. It involves folding ribbon and pining them onto a styrofoam ball I think. I love the pattern of this. My Secret Santa is Kate Webster from Western Australia. My main gift is under the tree waiting for Christmas. Thank you so much Kate again, this is such a lovely ornament and it will be treasured!

I have been quiet for awhile, a lot of stuff has been going on besides my work situation. Today we are attending the funeral of my son-in-law Jeff's grandfather. This happened suddenly after he was taken in to have heart surgery last week. He was a very dear man that we loved and his death comes as a deep loss.

My father also has had critical issues. He was supposed to go on an Alaskan cruise about a week after John and I. On the way to the airport, their car was rear ended and totaled. Because he is on blood thinners, and bumped his head, he had bleeding into his brain. I found out all this while
I was on my cruise. He came home, and the next week was on the way a doctor's appointment, when he had a heart attack. They took him to the hospital, and found he had a heart attack, plus more bleeding in his brain, which they had to put a drain in, to let it out. This stay was about 5 weeks and was touch and go there for a while. He is now back home but is having problems with balance, and falling and has had several falls since, including flat on his face. I told him he couldn't afford anymore bumps to his brain, and he said he knew.

The other person we are worried about is John's mother. She has been on hospice care since John spent 5 weeks in San Diego with her earlier this year. She had a cancer on her ear, that was removed, and has apparently spread. She didn't tolerate the radiotherapy very well, and it really messed her up. They talked about extensive surgery to clean everything up, but she is too frail to survive that we feel. A chaplain came and talked with her last week and told her the time was near. She is on morphine now.

Wool DYB, Christmas RR

2009-12-09T06:56:00.000-08:00

My work continues to be causing havoc in my life. Previous projects I have started, and not posted are the Wool round robin. I decided to make baskets for mine and asked the participants to decorate my blocks and baskets.

These were all hand-dyed wools or over-dyed wools. The picture does not really portray the true colors.

The other project I last worked on was Rose Anne's Christmas DYB. The first block was the one I worked on my own. The second block, I needed to work on a portion of it, as we had 1 of our participants drop out before we started. So we decided to also share a block.

Summer DYB, Lotto

2009-11-16T07:31:00.000-08:00

I have had an absolutely horrendous couple of weeks at work, and have a day off to get caught up. It also happens to be our 34th wedding anniversary, and I got up and made DH some banana bread. I need to get over to Joann's when they open and get some drapery fabric. I had gotten DH some new shades for his media room, the room he spends the most time in with his movies and games. I need to made some decorative drapes and a valence to coordinate with the new shades.

I have finished a couple of projects, a couple of weeks ago. First, I finished my block for Arlene's Summer DYB.

I used some braid as the arbor, and twined some wisteria up it, with some hollyhocks and violets off to either side.

The other item I got done was a block for our circle of quilting friends. It was Molly's month last month, and she wanted us to make a block out of reproduction fabrics. I can't remember how many pieces were in this 7" block but it was a lot!

Fibreart Montage-Judith Baker Montano

2009-11-04T05:53:00.000-08:00

Two days ago, I received a package from Dragon Threads. I couldn't for the life of me remember
what I had ordered. Well it was Judith Baker Montano's new book Fibreart Montage. I cannot praise this book highly enough, it has wonderful photographs, lessons on painting silk fabric, crazy quilting, stitches. I love it, and have only had a chance to read part of it.

Last year, right before Christmas, I was contacted by Judith, having been a student in 2 of her classes at Asilomar. She wondered if any of her students had completed, or were near completing their class projects, as she wanted to include a student's section in this new book. She gave us a deadline of the first part of 2009. I worked frantically for about a month to finish up my Pigeon Point Lighthouse project I had started in my second class, a landscape crazy.

As being one of the students who submitted our work for this book, I received a copy, with a lovely note from Judith. My work appears on page 158. Also on page 8 she has an introduction, with pictures of some of her classes. My class is the 2nd from the top, and I am sitting right
behind Judith.

What a wonderful mail day. I have been anxiously awaiting this arrival since I found out the
books were released in late October.

Flower Fairies, Ritva's block

2009-10-14T05:42:00.001-07:00

This week I had the pleasure of working on Ritva's Flower Fairy blocks. I chose the Rose Fairy to work on. I added a little ribbon skirt, and enhanced her wings a bit, I also added some fine curly yarn for her hair and couched that down and featherstitched over it.
I added the beaded seam and the hand-dyed dragonfly and the reddish looking lace above.

I also added a spray of rosebuds.

This is the whole block I am sending off.

How Do You Like My New Look?

2009-10-03T19:18:00.001-07:00

I have been thinking for a long time I needed to redo my blog, but have had no time, or a chance to do it. Recently I was looking into options and was looking into free blog backgrounds, etc, and came across Shel's Scraps and found out she would also design headers and backgrounds. When I saw her work, I asked her to design a new header and background for me. She finished it today, and I couldn't be happier. She even set it up for me. I have added her blinkie to my side bar. I highly recommend her work!

Autumn RR, Rita's Block

2009-10-02T06:27:00.000-07:00

The past week I have been working on Rita's Autumn RR. I was the last person to stitch on this block and it was a pleasure. The ladies who had worked on it before me had done such wonderful work. I first added the orange/gold piece of hand-dyed lace. Next I worked on the
acorns using Marie A. Frietas' book called the Art of Dimension Embroidery, recommended by
Cobi.

Next I added some of my hand-dyed leaves. I also did the stitching right beside that, I followed the pattern on the fabric and accented the trailing leaves in thread.

This is the whole block, and it is being shipped off to Rita today.

My daughters, My grandchildren

2009-09-28T05:27:00.001-07:00

I snitched some pictures off Kristen's Facebook yesterday.

These are my dear daughters, Katie, with her arm around Kristen.

Keaton will be 3 the end of this week.
Kyleigh just turned 9.
Jaeger will be 7 in December.

Making Memories Blocks 2009

2009-09-28T05:22:00.000-07:00

I finished my 2 blocks for the Making Memories project and they are off in the mail today.

Blogger's No Reply, Making Memories Blocks 2009

2009-09-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

I had wondered why I was getting so many No reply comments in people reading my blog. Sometimes I would really like to comment back. My friend Nancy had a post this morning about this topic, and directed attention to this blog, where Karen provides a clear explanation of how you can make sure your Profile is set the way you want it to be.

I had no idea that I someone had gotten to be a no-reply individual. This was not how I originally set up my profile. But I have switched it back to the way I want it to be.

I have been busily working on my Making Memories Blocks 2009. Last year I participated in the Making Memories project on Crazy Quilting International and made 2 blocks. These quilts put together can be found here. Last year the theme was hearts. This year it is butterflies and dragonflies using jewel tone colors. Leslie put these quilts together last year and did a super job. These quilts were chosen by the Making Memories Foundation to go on a nationwide tour, One of them is being exhibited at the The Houston International Quilt Show in October.

I have 1 of my blocks done, and the other I need to finish up in the next couple of days. Debbie is putting the blocks together this year.

Summer DYB-Rita's block

2009-09-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

This week, I worked on Rita's Summer DYB RR.
I chose this block out of the ones left to work on. Rita indicated that when she thought of summer, she thought of poppies, sunflowers and daisies. I forgot about the sunflower part, but I did make some California poppies out of some ribbon I had that was the perfect color. I also hand-dyed the butterfly, and added some yellow tatting and daisies off to the left side.

Among the Gum Trees

2009-09-18T06:47:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to put this link in for several days, and finally got a chance to this morning.
On my sidebar, I have put in a link to Among the Gum Trees, a group of 9 Australian designers who are offering free designs. This starts Monday, October 5th and on each Monday throughout October and November they will offer free Christmas designs to download. If you go here, each of these 9 designers are offering a giveaway.

FLOWER FAIRY RR -Wendy's block

2009-09-08T07:02:00.000-07:00

Can you tell I am waiting for work to be dictated this morning? Before I left on vacation, I finished working on Wendy's flower fairy block. I have a bunch of pictures sitting on my desktop that I was waiting to blog about, but didn't have time before I left.

I do not generally like pink, but have been trying to collect more ribbon and thread. I really liked the way Wendy's Flower Fairy came out.

LANDSCAPE RR-LYN'S, I'M BACK-PART 2

2009-09-08T06:46:00.000-07:00

Before I left for our cruise, I had Lyn's Landscape II block to do. I didn't want to rush through it, so I asked her permission to bring it with me. This was a pretty big block, and Lyn had said she did not expect it to come back finished. Lyn had also asked that we incorporate these little face charms into our work. I had taken some threads and fibers to make a tree, but after visiting 2 of the yarn fiber shops and finding some wonderful nubby yarns, in brown and green, I was really inspired.

Every morning we were on ship, I would go up to the Explorations Internet/library section of the ship, which had a large table I could spread out on, and work. Ladies, and men, would stop by and inquire about what I was working on, sometimes everyday I was there, and would follow my progress.

This is the tree I made, plus I did the 2 little bushes beside it. I also stitched along the top of the green fabric.

As I was the last person working on this block, and she had 1 face left, I made a toadstool to incorporate the face into.

This is the whole block, on its way home to Lyn today.

I'M BACK, GREAT STASH-BUILDING TRIP-PART 1

2009-09-08T06:01:00.000-07:00

DH and I got back on Sunday from a 2-week cruise in Alaska. What a wonderful trip! This was taken in Haines on our way home. We had gotten off the ship for a shore excursion, and saw a good shot of the ship with the mountains in the background.

I don't know how it happened this trip, but almost every stop I got off the ship and found either a quilt store or yarn/fiber shop. I am not complaining, it was wonderful!

It started out in Ketchikan, our first stop, when we met up with old friends we had last seen 24 years ago, but we have kept in contact at Christmas time. Even though it was raining that day, Kathy showed us some totems, and a totem museum we had not seen the last time we were in Ketchikan and we were able to meet up with Bob later for lunch, see their beautiful motor boat at the harbor, before it was time to head back to our ship.

Kathy also took me to a great quilt shop, Silver Thimble where I purchased this kit,

and this silk screened lighthouse print

and some of these fat quarters. I added to these
later in Skagway at another quilt shop called Rushin Tailor's Quilt Alaska, which I had visited the last time we were in Alaska. I knew this was a short walk from the ship.

Skagway also had a great yarn/fiber shop right next door which I don't recall being their the last time we visited called Changing Threads.

By this stage, I had spent a considerable amount of DH's $$$$, although he was pretty good-natured about it.

This stash also includes a really wonderful yarn store in Seward called Skeins and Fine Yarns, I found when I was supposed to be buying souveniers for the kids and grandkids.
So I limited myself, although it looked like a great place to spend some time.

Overall, the first week we spent in Alaska was rainy, and the week we were on our way back was sunny and beautiful. DH spent all of his shore excursions except 1 on raft/float, canoe trips. I went on an evening whale watching and a daytime whale watching. I went on a raft trip with DH which was a beautiful day. While in Skagway, my photo expedition got cancelled because of rain/not enough participants, so I went with DH on a jet boat excursion through an eagle preserve and saw 8 eagles. It was raining so bad, and even though they gave you rain gear and waterproof blankets, we got back, and the backs and fronts of our pants were wet and then we cooked our own hot dogs in the rain. This was not the best trip for me. I was pretty miserable by the time we got back to the ship at 8:30 that night.

I was finally able to go on a shorter photo expedition in Haines that was fun, and it happened to bed a beautiful day, on our second week of the cruise. I have to say though, our best excursion was our last one, in Ketchikan again, it was a beautiful sunny day, and we went on a float plane, up to the Tongas National Forest, landed on a lake, and had the best crab dinner of our lives at the Georgia Inlet Lodge. That was the highlight of our trip!

We were happy to get back home on Sunday, and Kristen and the grandkids picked us up, and we spent several hours visiting and catching up.

Next post will be about what I worked on while on our cruise.

Moira's block

2009-08-19T05:29:00.001-07:00

I got a block done, as part of a small group of internet friends' monthly swap. Each month, one of our members chooses the block they want made, send out fabric, and specifies a block they would like and we provide the background, or the other fabrics. Then we send the completed blocks back to that person.

This month, it was Moira's month. She sent out the plaid fabric, which I absolutely love, and would have kept if I could have. She asked that white-on-white be the background and we provide the center color and 4 squares.
This block was from a handout called "Mocha Trail"

My month was supposed to be September, but since we are just about ready to leave on vacation, I switched my month to November instead.

Autumn RR, Debbie's block

2009-08-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

I just finished working on Debbie H's Autumn RR.
I worked on this corner of the block.

I added feather stitching bead work, and 4 of
Rengin's lovely oya flowers (the burgundy and white ones). I had anxiously awaited my order and they arrived early this week so I could add them to this block.

I also added some leaf beads, some brass flowers,
and a herringbone, lazy daisy and beaded seam.

And lastly one of my hand-dyed leaf motifs.

This is the whole block, now packed up and ready to be shipped off to Rita.

Giveaway

2009-08-18T04:33:00.000-07:00

Pat Winter is having a great giveaway here of the cutest little bird's nest necklace. I love
checking out her blog and seeing what she has done next.

Summer DYB-Lyn's block

2009-08-15T05:25:00.000-07:00

Another block I finished several days ago was this summer do-your-own block. This was another round robin in which you do your own block. I knew, from reading Lyn's blog that this was a California summer at the beach. She also had a contest at the time to name the guy in this picture, he was an Olympic star, and used to be in the movies. I thought to myself at the time it was Johnny Weissmuller, Tarzan, but was unsure of myself, so I didn't guess in her contest, and found out later I had been right.

Anyway, I chose to work on this block, as I am a California beach girl, even though I was born in Maryland and lived there the first 13 years of my life. I found in my sticker stash, a sticker that said Welcome to California, so I printed it up on fabric. I had also been saving the wave-looking trim for this block and added that. I added a surfboard, and some California poppies. I hope Lyn likes what I did.

Flower Fairy RR-Marci's block

2009-08-15T05:20:00.001-07:00

This week I finished up Marci's block for the Flower Fairy RR. My picture is atrocious. I have to figure out what I am doing wrong and start getting better color representations.

This RR was one in which we send six 6" blocks around and each person chooses the one they want to work on. I chose the Lavender Fairy. I hand-dyed the daisy trim and the butterfly. I I extended the lavender out beyond the silky of the fairy in the center.

Giveaway

2009-08-15T04:42:00.000-07:00

Jo, is having a 600th post giveway here. I have followed her blog for several years now and have thoroughly enjoyed seeing her beautiful work.

Jo also has an Etsy shop here. I can personally recommend her excellent Seams Like Fun seam treatment book. She also has some lovely items for sale.

Jo also has an another Etsy shop here called Vintage Vices, which is new to me, and has some vintage doilies and hand embroidered items for sale.

Autumn RR, Debbie's block

2009-08-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

I recently finished up another block for the Autumn round robin. This was Debbie S. block. She had really lovely muted colors in her block and it was a joy to work on.

The first thing I did was embroider one of the motifs I learned from Sharon B's class in Silk Ribbon Embroidery. I thought this basket of flowers would be perfect for this block. I changed the ribbon to look more fallish.

I also added the rust-colored braid along one seam, and the hand-dyed leaf trim.

Lastly, I did some acorns in stumpwork and had them falling down 1 section.

This was the whole block after I had finished.

UNDER THE SEA BLOCK-LAURI'S

2009-07-31T05:08:00.001-07:00

This was the end of this round robin for me. These are Lauri's under the sea blocks. This was the block I worked on. In this block at the bottom under the lobster, I crocheted a sea anemone and added some of Rengin's magnificent oyas (the flowers).

All of Lauri's blocks are being mailed home to her today, and she has 1 left to embellish herself.

This was the block that Lisa worked on, I loved her octopus. Sorry I was wrong, as my DD pointed out this is a jellyfish.

This was the block that Peggy worked on, I am not sure if she has a blog or not. I really loved her beaded mermaid.

This was the block that Lyn worked on. I really liked that giant squid and her cute little fish charms.

This is the block that Pam worked on. Pam has had quite a time recently with medical problems
and had sent off her poor octopus with 3 legs, she realized after looking at a photo of it, and asked
me to put some more on. I really loved her shell garden and snail and netting.

Summer DYB, Another tin

2009-07-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

My work recently has been horrendous, the past 3-4 weeks have not been good at all.
I do medical transcription on the internet. I personally prefer to get up about 2 am, get my work done, and have time to work on my stitching, run errands, or whatever. Recently I get up at 2 a.m. and there is no work, have to wait around for doctors to dictate it, and then try to grab
work before anyone else can grab it. Which makes for a long day, and not a very happy camper.
If I could get done by noon I would be happy, but I have been getting done at 4:30 to 5. One day it took until 8 p.m. to get my commitment done.

Which means, I have not been stitching as much, and this does not make for a happy Karrin.

Last week I did get this done. This is from the Summer DYB (do your own block), and it was Rebecca's block. I took this really awful picture, but did not realize it until I had already packed it up to be mailed to Cobi.

Last week I did get a happy surprise in the mail.
This was the last of my tin swap tins. I received this from Skye, and it is lovely.

She included inside an embroidered hankie (which I happen to collect) and some assorted ribbon flowers.

Thank you so much Skye again for this lovely tin, and I think it was the highlight of my week!

Autumn RR, Ritva's block

2009-07-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

This past week, I have worked on Ritva's autumn block. I found I had a leaf lace in my stash, and I dyed it, and attached it and used a darker thread to accentuate the veins.

Ritva had a number of really nice fall-like batiks.
The leaves about the leaf lace I accentuated a bit with some darker thread also.

I also did the brown/gold seam in a feather stitch-double chain stitch combo, and I also made the sunflower. For the sunflower I also accented the leaf batik underneath and tried to make it look like it was part of the sunflower.

This is the whole block so far. I was the first person to work on it.

CQI COVERED TIN SWAP

2009-07-03T04:15:00.000-07:00

I received 2 special packages in the mail yesterday. Two of the tins I swapped in the covered tin swap. We mailed them out on Tuesday, and 2 of mine arrived yesterday.

This lovely tin was made by Connie in Colorado. It is just lovely and I love this little girl, and the colors are perfect.

This is the inside of the tin, it is lined, and it was filled with a lovely assortment of lace and trims, which I will put to good use in my CQ.

Not only did Connie send the above tin, but she also sent me this tiny one. It was filled with beads. I had planned on making a tiny one myself to use as a pill container in my purse, but now I do not need to.

Thanks so much Connie, I just love both of these, and your work is outstanding!

The other tin I received was from Diane from Louisiana. There is a cute little kitty with a beaded collar on, and a little bluebird.

It also happens to have a K for my name.

Inside this one had a little pincushion, and also contained goodies of needles, a needle threader and a special button.

Thank you so much Diane, this is just darling and I shall treasure this tin.

Those who don't know me, I am a tin collector from way back, any sorts of tins, and when this swap came up, I signed right up.

Thanks again Connie and Diane, you have both added to my tin collection, and I love them both! I couldn't be happier with this swap, and you both brightened my really awful day!

FLOWER FAIRY RR

2009-07-01T05:56:00.000-07:00

I am sending off blocks for a new round robin this morning. This one is for Flower Fairies. In this RR you make 6 blocks, and the 5 participants get to choose which one they want to work on. You get 1 back at the end to do yourself.

I purchased my Flower Fairy silkies at Evening Star Designs Designs, where you can get them printed up 4 to a page or 6 to a page. I chose the 6 to a page. She even has a new Flower Fairy Club, where you can get some each month or every other month, your choice.

UNDER THE SEA BLOCK-PEGGY'S

2009-07-01T05:54:00.000-07:00

I worked on and sent off another RR last week, an Under the Sea block. This was Peggy's block. She had already machine-embroidered the clown fish on, I added everything else.

PIN CUSHION SWAP

2009-06-27T07:15:00.000-07:00

I received a package from Western Australia yesterday afternoon. At first I was not sure what I had ordered, but then looking on the envelope it said it was my pincushion swap.

This was the lovely pincushion that Kate made for me. I needed one out by handsewing area,
and this will be perfect.

In addition, she also send me some lovely fabric and threads
and a postcard from Australia.

Thanks again Kate, your package made my day!

BIRDS AND BEES RR, DEBBY

2009-06-23T05:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I also finished up the Birds and Bees RR. This is Debby's block. I don't think she has a blog. I was the last person to work on this block, so I worked on the remaining patches left blank.
This block was sent home finished to Debby.

I first did this spray of silk ribbon embroidery leaves, and the pink flowers on the left corner. You can't see it, but the leafy fabric underneath had some pink blossoms which I tried to duplicate in my stitching.

This patch was also blank and I added some coneflowers and a butterfly charm.

And this was the last patch left blank, and I added the beaded daisy type flower.

This is the total block.

LANDSCAPE RR-SIMONA'S BLOCK

2009-06-23T05:20:00.001-07:00

Last week, I had the pleasure of working on Simona's landscape block. This is the whole block. I was the second person to work on it, 1st person having worked on the sky, which is hard to tell from my poor photography.

I decided her landscape needed a tree, and I added a cherry blossom tree.

Here is a little bit more detail on what I did. I also added the sequin flowers, and the stitching on the patches around the tree.

BLOGAVERSARY, CQI PURSE CONTEST

2009-06-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in a great CQ blog to check out, Wendy is about to celebrate her blogaversary on her Stitchdutchess Crazy & Sane Quilting blog and is having a great giveaway. Wendy does lovely stitching and has a great blog.

The results of the CQI 2009 purse contest, all the purse entries are up on the CQI Blog, and you can check it out here. I thought all the entries were fantastatic and had a tough time voting myself.

PIECES OF FRIENDSHIP,SUMMER DYB

2009-06-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

recently participated in Pat Winter's Pieces of Friendship Swap, where we made these puzzle pieces, and Pat swapped them out earlier this week, and I received mine and am delighted!

This one was from Cindy Bughuis from Clara City, Mn.

This one (I think) Pat Winter. I am pretty sure I saw it on her blog.

This one is from Mary Schuberg.

And this one is from Liz in Kansas.

These are all exquisitely stitched and beaded, and they look wonderful when you put them together.

A new RR is starting up. This one is a summer do-your-own block. These are the ones I am sending out. I am calling mine Summer Days and Summer Nights.

CQI ANNUAL PURSE CONTEST RESULTS

2009-06-13T03:49:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning and checked my e-mail and found out the results were up on the
CQI annual purse contest I had entered. I could not share my pictures of the purse I entered
until after the voting was finished and the results were posted. There were 2 categories this
year, regular crazy quilting of which there were 9 entries, and other techniques of which there were 2 entries, 1 of which was mine. I won 2nd place in my category! Later, when the purses have been posted in the CQ blog, I will be able to share the pictures of the others. There were some beautiful purses entered this year, and I had a hard time voting myself, they were all lovely.

I decided to make an evening purse that I can take on our cruises. Because I was running out of time, and it was down to 3 weeks before the due date, I decided to just do silk ribbon embroidery. The wisteria-type tree took more than a week to do by itself.

Detail of bottom portion

The other side

CQI COVERED TIN SWAP

2009-06-12T05:30:00.000-07:00

I signed up for the covered tin swap on CQI. What we were to do was take a tin (we signed up for a specific size) and cover it it. I chose to do Altoids tins. I am a collector of tins of any kind and I had tons of these.

This is the top of the first tin

This is the front

This is the inside, and the goodies I filled it with

This is tin #2. I did not get a good picture of the front.

This is the inside and the goodies.

This is tin #3 and my favorite.

This is the front

This is the inside and the goodies included. I hope my recipients like them!

PINCUSHION SWAP

2009-06-05T06:10:00.001-07:00

I am participating in Sandra's Pincushion Swap, and I have my package all ready to go in the mail this morning.

This is the pincushion I made. Actually it was about the 3rd one I made, I wasn't satisfied with the first 2!

This is the whole package of goodies I am sending. I hope my recipient likes her package!

Autumn RR

2009-06-02T03:46:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I pieced this block for a new round robin, this time an Autumn block. I love these colors, Autumn, one of my favorite times of the year.

The big thing I have been working on for the past several weeks, I cannot show yet. I entered the CQI purse contest again this year, but I cannot show pictures of that until after the voting is concluded in a week or so. I am really excited and proud of my entry this year.

BIRDS AND BEES RR, LYN

2009-05-24T04:13:00.001-07:00

This is a block from the Birds and Bees round robin which will be ending in June. This was Lyn's block. She wanted us to plant her garden.
the fence had already been done by the prior person, and I added the sunflower behind the fence and the crow.

I did the coneflowers, and added a little hummingbird charm, and a little sign that I could not get the picture to show, but it reads "My Garden"

This is the whole block.

UNDER THE SEA BLOCK-LISA'S

2009-05-24T04:07:00.000-07:00

Another round robin I worked on was Lisa's under the sea block. I did this entire block. Part of the seaweed I had some funky yarn/thread which I crocheted a single chain stitch and tacked it down.

I really had a good time with this block, of course it is one of my favorite subjects.

Lisa had all her blocks in the shape of shells, and is planning to assemble them into a fabric book. I really loved her idea.

LANDSCAPE RR

2009-05-24T04:02:00.000-07:00

I have been pretty busy the last couple of weeks with round robins. This is a landscape RR that I am working on, and this was Debbie's block. I was the first one to work on this one, and I added the tree and the stitching so far on this block. I don't know how to get rid of this underlining

CANDI'S BLOCK

2009-05-07T06:45:00.001-07:00

I have recently been working on Candi's block, as part of a round robin my small group of friends
participate in. I was the last person working on this block and this is the section I worked on.
I did the purple and green around the lady silkie.

This is a closeup of the cone flowers. I really liked how they came out.

This is the block, ready to go back to Candi.

INTERESTING MAIL

2009-05-07T04:57:00.000-07:00

In the past month or so, I have received some "interesting mail" as my mail lady Victoria says
after she fondles my packages. I have ordered and received some wonderful packages.
First, I have ordered some of Rengin's oyas shown below.

I have already put most of these turquoise ones on some CQ blocks, and I am hoping I can order more. Rengin sells her work on Etsy, and on Artfire. I just love her work, and am looking forward buying more.

I also purchased and received some of Sharon B's beutiful hand-dyed threads on her Artfire store. They stitch beautifully. I took a picture somewhere, but cannot locate it now.

And I also bought and received Jo's lovely photo seam book called Seams Like Fun, with lovely seam treatments. Jo's Etsy store is here. Right now she also has some pincushions listed.

PIECES OF FRIENDSHIP

2009-05-01T07:13:00.001-07:00

As I mentioned previously, I am participating in Pat Winter's Pieces of Friendship puzzle piece swap. I finished my last 2 pieces last night, and these are heading out to Pat today.

These are all 4 of my pieces set together.

BUSY WITH RENOVATIONS

2009-04-30T08:29:00.001-07:00

We have again been busy with renovations around the house, this past week it was replacing doors. I did not have much to do with it, except making sure the door did not come too far into the house, and helping with shims when the door was installed. This disgusting door was the door from the outside into the garage.

And this is the replacement door. It is so nice, I love it!

This is the door that goes into my little sitting room where I do my hand stitching. This is the new door and I love this one too.

This is the inside of the same door. I made a little shade yesterday for this one. The old door used to have a lace panel, but I am rather tired of that. So I made this shade, that actually matches the ones I made on the French door on the other side of the room. This is the shade up.

And this the the shade down for night time.

I also last week spent time redoing my garden outback, putting in almost 100 bricks on a retaining wall. While DH picked them up in his truck, because of his bad back, I unloaded them and installed them. This was all made possible by the nifty garden wagon DH bought me for Mother's Day. Today I plan to get more soil and bark to go in the new area. Our native soil is so awful, really bad hardpan, and I have to cart in everything I need. It is almost impossible to dig in my native soil.

PIN CUSHION SWAP

2009-04-29T03:44:00.000-07:00

I joined Sandra's pincushion swap. Check out her blog here for the details: http://www.quiltathome.blogspot.com/. This should be a lot of fun. The signup deadline is May 10th, and you package must be mailed by June 21st. It is an international swap.

BIRDS AND BEES RR, WENDY

2009-04-25T04:31:00.001-07:00

The past week, I have been working on Wendy's Birds and Bees RR. She had a lovely block, and some great work on it already.

What I added was a row of Rengin's beautiful oyas (the row of pink flowers). Rengin makes these and sells them here. I also added the row of fuschias and the hummingbird charm.

I also added this section with the fence and patch of flowers, the stepping stone and the little frog charm.

This is her whole block so far.

UNDER THE SEA BLOCK-LYN'S

2009-04-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

This is Lyn's block from the Under the Sea round robin I worked on recently. This is the entire block.

And a close-up of the treasure chest.

Online Quilt Festival, Spring 2009

2009-04-18T05:47:00.000-07:00

There is an online quilt festival going on, which you can see here.

My favorite quilt is my Dear Jane Quilt. I called it "In Changing Times". I first started my Dear Jane in October 1997, just 3 years after I started quilting. I bought Brenda Papadakis' book Dear Jane and became fascinated with it. I started collecting reproduction fabrics with a vengeance. I found out about the Dear Jane List and joined that, which helped a lot with support and help in the construction of this quilt. They had challenges to get certain blocks and triangles done which urged me on. I hand appliqued blocks, machine pieced, and also paper pieced
this quilt. I would put my blocks away for months at a time, and then get started again
with renewed energy and determination. Finally I started completing rows and that helped
me focus more. I finally completed the top in February 2003, and had it hand quilted by
a lady named Carol Morris. I had a good time working on this quilt, some blocks
I started over because I was not pleased with them. But I am so happy I finally finished.

You've Got to Watch This-Dream the Dream

2009-04-15T06:42:00.000-07:00

My friend Nancy recently brought my attention to this You Tube performance.
I second her sentiments. You have got to see it! You will not be sorry!

Kyleigh's Wallhanging, Landscape II RR

2009-04-15T03:01:00.000-07:00

I finished up this little wallhanging for granddaughter Kyleigh for Easter and put it in her Easter basket. The stitchery was a kit I bought a number of years ago. It was one of Lynette Anderson's designs called The Bees Garden Stitchery. I finished the stitchery several months ago, and finally finished it up last week.

I am starting in a new CQ RR. This one is a landscape theme. I took a watercolor I had painted a number of years ago, and cropped the house and designed the landscale and where the path would come off the house. By the time I got around attaching the house, to the path it is sort of crooked, but I didn't have time to take the whole thing apart. I need to send it out today.

I am going to make a tea cozy out of this project so I have a back and a front. This one is the front.

And this is the back side.

HAPPY EASTER!

2009-04-11T03:29:00.000-07:00

LOTTO BLOCK, MOIRA'S RR

2009-04-10T06:15:00.000-07:00

I have actually had a pretty productive week this week. I finished getting my back garden
cleaned out of the winter's weeds and got some vegetables and flowers planted.

I also made a major cleanup in my sewing room. I cannot work in chaos, and for the past 6 months or so, my sewing room has been a horrible mess. But I managed to get it cleaned up, and I now have work surfaces to be able to work and cut fabric on.

The first thing I accomplished was making this lotto block for Nancy. It was her month (last month) in our small group that makes a block a month for the person of the month. Nancy chose this Mocha Trails block, in reproduction fabrics.

I also finished working on Moira's block for our small CQ RR I am in. Moira's blog is called Quilted Snail, so I embroidered a snail on one section of this block.

I also did the feather stitching around the curve and the silk ribbon flowers.

This is the whole block. Susan, and Gail, have already worked mostly on the fan part, and it goes next to Candi .

Former "Ugly"Block Transformed

2009-04-06T09:12:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we attended an 85th birthday/open house for our son-in-law Jeff's grandparents. We have known them since Jeff and Kristen first got together over 10 years ago. Carmel and Lewis happen to share the same birthday, the same year, so it was a double celebration.

I first contemplated getting them chocolates or plant or flowers of some kind. Then I started looking through my quilts to see if I had any lap quilts, but sadly I have given away most of my quilts to family and friends. Then all of a sudden it dawned on me what I could possibly do as a quick gift. I mentioned in a prior post here about my former ugly block, which I sent around in my small group of CQ friends in a round robin, Susan, Gail, and Moira. My block came back transformed and beautiful. I decided to make a cushion out of this block. I embroidered an L and a C with a love charm in between.

When we presented it to Carm and Lewie they were delighted with it and proceeded to show it to all their relatives coming in the door.

This block was constructed mostly of men's silk tie remnants I had bought years ago in the Bay area I think.

Anyway, I would like to thank Susan, Gail and Moira again for making my block beautiful!

This was the back, which Carm said she almost liked the back as much as the front.

Last week was a hard one, at work. As I do all my transcription work on the internet, the secure server or something got messed up with that virus on April 1st, which didn't bother me that day,
but did the April 2nd. We couldn't sign on to transcribe, or if we could, we would not get a sound file. I messed with different settings suggested by the company on and off for 5 hours, and then was finally able to finish my work. But it made for a very long day. The next day, our company offered a bonus to do extra work, as we were so far behind from 2 days of messed up connections. Added to that, last week I worked on taxes, and thankfully those are done now too.

Today should prove to be a wonderful day, as I am finished with my day's work at 9:30 in the morning. I am looking forward to a day of working in my sewing room, gardening, and maybe painting a small watercolor to use in an upcoming round robin block.

GIVEAWAY, PIECES OF FRIENDSHIP

2009-03-27T04:51:00.000-07:00

Pat is offering a Spring Giveaway here, a $10 gift certificate for something in her Etsy shop. Pat has some lovely Bliss kits, sometimes CQ night light shades, pins, jewelery. It is well worth the stop. and she is going to be adding some new items the next few days.

I finished another piece in Pat's Pieces of Friendship swap last night.

Haven't gotten much else done. I spent my afternoon after work yesterday first painting the newly refinished kitchen ceiling, and then mowing the backyard. In between the rain, rain, rain, and cold, I haven't been back there for months. I had some grass about 2 feet high, and I had some dandelions almost 3 feet tall. I still need to trim and weed but I got the majority mowed. At least it was a start.

GIVEAWAY

2009-03-26T05:32:00.000-07:00

Check out the Sassa Lynne blog to sign up for Myfanwy's giveaway celebrating a year on Etsy. You get your choice of your prize if you win.

I am up to my neck in more renovations. DH got the new kitchen lights installed and they work wonderfully. His wallboard patch-job needed some help though. We had a company who had previously taken down about 1/2 of the popcorn ceilings several years ago (all we could afford)
come in and give us an estimate to fix the kitchen ceiling, fix a patch in the laundry room ceiling, and remove the popcorn from the ceiling in our bedroom which has vaulted ceilings. The estimate was reasonable, so 2 days ago they fixed the 2 patch jobs, and retextured the ceilings, and also removed the popcorn in our bedroom. Yesterday they came in and painted our bedroom. I need to paint the laundry room and kitchen ceilings (my job today).

To get to one section in our bedroom, John had to take down my doll case which extended the width of our bedroom along 1 wall, on top of a bookcase, that went up to the ceiling. So that is disassembled now and my doll collection is residing in the spare bedroom for now. Since I planned to remove the wall paper in our bedroom one of these days, and the doll case is already apart, I plan to go ahead and empty the 2 bookcases, move them away from the wall, and at least paint that wall and and then move it back into place. Then John can remake the doll case.

I really had not planned on doing this room this year, but since the ceiling is done, and the doll case apart, I might as well. This is a big job, as our room is wall-to-wall bookcases floor to ceiling, dressers, and a king sized water bed, so to get behind that wall, we are going to have to empty the bed, and then refill it. But that will be the last wall we do. I am going remove the paper and paint in sections. I still need to go over to Lowes and chose my paint color. Our wallpaper was a navy blue floral. The dresser and other doll cabinet John made for me I painted a blue and stenciled with flowers, so I need to chose a color that will go with my painted furniture.

My Art Fire Shop Open

2009-03-23T07:04:00.000-07:00

I now have some items in my Art Fire shop. The link is to the left. I have added 2 stumpwork
embroidery books, I have a quilt book, and an silk ribbon embroidery book, along with some embroidery transfers, some spool holders and glue gun holders John made.

Under the Sea-Pam's Block

2009-03-23T06:47:00.001-07:00

This was what I have been working on this past week. I am in an Under the Sea round robin on CQI, and in this one you send around 6 blocks, and the participants get too choose the one they
want to work on.

This month I worked on Pam's blocks. Pam is from Cornwall and this block she called Cornish
driftwood. She had added the driftwood already. I loved all of her blocks but finally chose this one so I could fit my mermaid on. I could have worked on it a lot longer, but as I had my grandson Jaeger all day yesterday I was playing games with him instead.

Last week, John also finished the new kitchen light project and the lights are wonderful. We might have to have someone to come in and texture the wallboard to get it to match the rest of the ceiling, or at least have estimates. I spent an entire afternoon cleaning everything in the kitchen getting that fine chalky dust from trimming the wallboard to size. I love the results, I can see, instead of being in a cave. Those fluorscent lights haven't worked for a long time right.

Birds and Bees RR, more home renovation

2009-03-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

This is Debbie's block from the Birds and Bees RR I am involved in. I was the first person to work on this block, so this is the naked block, the way it
arrived to me.

This is my part finished, going out in the mail today.

I added the leaves, the lady bug buttons, the hollyhocks, and hummingbird, and those black things are supposed to be ants, which I am thinking of taking off before it goes out of here. They sort of look dumb to me.

Well after we finished my office/craft room, I figured DH would rest up awhile before he started the next thing on his list in our home renovation. We have lived in this house for almost 31 years, and there are things that need to be renovated, such as the kitchen lights.

Well instead of resting, he plowed right into the kitchen lights. We have had 3 fluorescent lights in the kitchen, that worked well for probably about 15 years, but the past 15 there have been nothing but problems, they flickered, or 1 or more didn't work at all. We decided to put in recessed lighting, so DH bought 6 lights. This involved cutting 6 holes in the ceiling to fit these in.
We went up in the attic to try to clear away insulation, but were only partially successful. I was the one doing the clearing, trying to step on the boards and not step through the ceiling. I finally told him I would clean up the mess when it fell through, which I did.

He got the lights up, he got the wallboard up with the 6 holes cut through that, so the ceiling in the kitchen will be flush now. This involved trimming of wallboard and a lot of chalk-like fine dust. (I decided to worry about all this fine dust after he finished, because it is useless of me to clean it up now). Today he is sanding the the whole works and texturing the ceiling to make it match the rest, and then I will be able to paint. I haven't really been able to cook for 4 days now, and am anxious to get everything cleaned up, especially since I am watching the 2 grandsons this Sunday.

He says his next project is the spare bathroom, replacing the floor and the toilet, to a water-sparing one.

My Art Fire Shop Opens

2009-03-14T07:44:00.000-07:00

I put a couple of patterns in my Art Fire shop this morning here. Right now I just have a couple of patterns for sale. Eventually I will be de-stashing some of my stash.

I have a far more quilt kits than I could possibly ever make in my lifetime. These are not the typical quilt kits. They are all the fabrics to make reproduction type quilts with quilt shop-quality fabrics. I will also be selling some vintage hand-embroidered linens and whatever else I come across in my sewing room when I am sorting it out.

I joined Art Fire

2009-03-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

I have been seeing various people touting the virtues of Art Fire, including Sharon B. here. I finally set up my own Art Fire shop this morning.

I don't haven't added anything to my shop yet, but will shortly. They still have 614 out of 5,000 memberships going at $7 a month, after that it will be $20. There are no added fees or commissions. If you refer 10 people to join, your membership is free.

If you want your own membership register here. And tell them karrinh referred you.

CQ RR, Room update

2009-03-10T07:50:00.000-07:00

This is Susan's stocking in the CQ RR I am in with my friends
Moira, Susan, Gail, and Candi .

This is the whole stocking after I had finished.

And this is the section I worked on. I added the Christmas tree, the holly, the feather stitch, and I decorated the white lace. I also added some green wreaths above that lace.

As far as the room redo, it is done. I have everything beautifully organized, LOL, and only have to add my art work back to the walls, and I wanted to repot my orchids before I put them back in the window. Then to cleaning up the guest room, and a major rehaul for my sewing room.
I need to make a trip to Goodwill. I also intend to make a little valance for the window. So relieved to have this behind me. Now I can have fun!

In Remembrance...

2009-03-07T05:37:00.001-08:00

Today I am remembering my mother. This would have been her 77th birthday.

I remember her always having a lovely smile on her face. I remember how much she loved her children and grandchildren and husband. When I was little, she used to sing to me a song, I don't know what it was, but part of the words were "I love you a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck I do". I remember how she was always ready to help others in need.

And for some reason, this year is harder. She has been gone 12 years now, but I am really missing her today.

ROOM UPDATE, MAJOR WORK DONE

2009-03-05T14:05:00.000-08:00

I went to run some errands at lunchtime, and while I was gone DSIL came over and helped John lift the countertop up in place, and was already gone.

I came home, and John said he was just picking up some of the tools that were left in my room, and I came back and found it all done. I am really excited. What a wonderful work area I have.

As John just said, his responsibility is over with, he has done his part.

Now it is up to me to fill up the cupboards, and move all my stuff back in this room, not to mention moving the 2 fishtanks back in here. I might do the little one today, and the big one tomorrow.

Picture me crazy happy!

GIVEAWAY

2009-03-05T05:19:00.000-08:00

Cynthia is having a wonderful giveaway here.

LOOK WHAT I WON, PIECES OF FRIENDSHIP

2009-03-05T02:14:00.000-08:00

I recently entered Cathy's giveaway on her blog.
While I didn't win that prize, she graciously decided to chose a second person to also receive a baggie of CQ goodies, and I was that lucky second
person. Yesterday I received some lovely fabrics, hankie, lace, trims, and some silkie images, when I had been looking all over for some tiny images for the project below. Thank you so much Cathy,
you cannot know how much this made my day (receiving those tiny silkie images).

I am participating in Pat Winters Pieces of Friendship swap, and finished my first puzzle piece last night. I have some other pieces all pieced together, just need to embellish them. These are 4" pieces, and I was finding it hard to find images small enough to get on these blocks. This silkie image took most of the whole block and I didn't have much room to do much more.
So when Cathy's tiny silkie images arrived yesterday, I was delighted so now I can add those to my other blocks and have more room to embellish.

As far as the room redo goes, we got the countertop jacked up about 8 inches on one side, and 6 on the other. DH, with his iffy back does not want to bend over and lift it totally from the ground. Anyway after time spent jacking this up (by me while he held it steady), and putting blocks of wood under it, we took a break for dinner. He finally decided to call DSIL to see if he could stop by after work to help. And DSIL John said he would stay "as long as it takes". I plan to make a casserole he and Katie love, so when he gets done they will have dinner ready, and not have to worry about that tonight.

I am so blessed for my DH, and my family. They are so supportive of everything I do. I am also blessed, that in this 4 bedroom house, 2 of them are mine, for my sewing room, and then my office/craft room. I did not dream up this room redo myself, DH started commenting that we could move the big bookcase, he could build cabinets, and then get a countertop I could work on
instead of the tiny card table I worked on my card and stamping projects on. I finally took him up on the idea, and am anxious now to see it finished.

ROOM UPDATE, SQUISHIE, BIRDS AND BEES RR

2009-03-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

My room update is nearing it's completion. John has both base cabinets finished now, the task today is to lift this 200 or so piece of countertop
up on the two base units. We did not have enough energy yesterday. We got it down the hall where it had been sitting since last week, and set in position here. He has an idea about jacking it up with a car jack. I think this is going to be tricky. I think we should ask the young guy down the street back to help, as he helped John bring it into the house the other day from the truck. By this afternoon, one way or another we will have this up. Then it will just be me getting my room back together. There are 2 fish tanks that are going to go on either end that I will have to empty, and fill back up in here. The center area will be my work space.

This is Debbie Smith's Birds and Bees RR I received the other day. It is one of the round robins I am participating on the Crazy Quilting International group. I will be the first one to work on this block, and an still deciding what I want to do.

I had another squishie in the mail last week. My friend Susan had someone give her some pinks and she shared them with friends. I ordinarily don't buy pink because I don't care for it, but I also occasionally need some. So this was a great gift. Susan has been getting more of her DSQ beautifully dyed threads into her Etsy shop here.

Tonight if I have any energy left after all the lifting activities, etc. I hope to be able to finish Susan's stocking in the RR that I am in with her.
I have 1 more finishing touch, and it will be ready for Candi.

RAOK, ROOM PROGRESS

2009-02-27T04:14:00.001-08:00

I was the surprised and delighted recipient of a gift of Random Act of Kindness which arrived in yesterday's mail. Pat Winter gifted me with this lovely package of her hand-dyed ribbons. I love her ribbons and had actually asked to be on her list the next time she dyed them, and she sent me this wonderful package yesterday, smelling wonderfully of lavender. Thank you so much Pat, you brightened my day with your generous gift!

The room redo is coming along pretty quickly now. John got the second cabinet up, installed lights underneath the cabinets, got one of the base cabinets done, and is working on the other one now. In addition to having 3 drawers the bottom one has a pull out section too, like a cutting board.

These are a detail of the whale handles I ordered.

I am finally getting some of my stuff back on the walls, a watercolor I painted, out in the hall you can see another watercolor. I also got my shell
box back up on the wall.

And my little trinket shelf back up. Today John and I are going over to Home Depot to purchase the counter top.

I have a couple of other packages I got yesterday to share, one the Birds and Bees RR from Debbie Smith, but I need to get back to work now, so will do that tomorrow.

Giveaway, Under the Sea RR

2009-02-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

Cathy, is having a giveway for her 100th post here of a bunch of CQ goodies.

As mentioned previously, I joined a 2nd CQ RR. This one is DYB UTS, (Do Your Own Block, Under the Sea). This one consists of each person embellishing the complete block. These are 6 inch blocks. When they get home, I should have 1 to embellish myself. I am thinking this will be a long piece that I can hang over the doorway to my newly painted office/craft area. These will fit the color scheme perfectly.

Friday I ran up to JoAnns and got a bunch of pieces for this RR in fancy fabrics (just 1/4 yards). But then I got home and ended up getting my batiks out instead.

BIRDS & BEES CQ RR

2009-02-20T07:05:00.000-08:00

I am starting 2 new CQ round robins this month on CQI (Crazy Quilting International). The first of these is this one, the Birds and Bees. I thought this would be a perfect one to have a little frog in.

Our youngest daughter, Katie's 30th birthday is this year, in August. She has always loved frogs.I should get this back in time to either frame it, or make it into a wall-hanging or cushion for her birthday.

Gail's RR, Update on Room

2009-02-18T05:35:00.000-08:00

I am again working with my buddies Moira, Susan, Gail, and Candi on another round of a CQ RR.

This month I was working on Gail's table runner that is for her daughter. Her daughter is having a new color scheme for Christmas, blues, silvers and crystal with a theme of snowmen and snowflakes. I did a couple of snowflakes on this section.

Some more silver snowflakes along this seam. There is part of a snowman shown here

This was the whole section I worked on.

This is an update on the room redo. These
cabinets are up. John has the doors for this section section ready to be polyurethaned today.

Next he will working on the base sections that the
countertop is going to sit on.

I still need to get stuff back in the bookcase by the window, but probably not today. I have a couple of round robin blocks I need to put together today to ship out by the end of the week.

This is the wall my desk faces all finished painted with my basketweave molding installed. I love it!

Happy Valentines Day!

2009-02-14T04:51:00.001-08:00

Wishing you all a great Valentine's day.

Great Mail Days, My Favorite Etsy Shops

2009-02-12T05:35:00.001-08:00

I have recently had a couple of great mail days, from shopping on my favorite Etsy shops.

I fell in love with this little sea fairy pin that Pat
Winter had made and was offering in her Etsy shop as soon as I saw it on her blog, and waited anxiously for her to list it in her Etsy shop. The pin is gorgeous and Pat also included some of her hand-dyed silk ribbons and a silkie.

Pat has been making some lovely CQ night light shades, lovely CQ purses, and at times has silk ribbon, and bliss kits. I always love getting her goodies. Pat also has a CQ Book that she p

Another Etsy shop I love is Susan's. I recently received more of her DSQ threads. I bought some of the Mary Ellen line which was named after my maternal grandmother, and also 1 of the Lois line that was named after Pat Winter's mother.

These threads are beautiful and lovely to work with.

The third Etsy shop I always love to shop at is at Gypsy Feather. She offers the loveliest collection of vintage laces, buttons, bits of this and that. I love getting her packages! Don't have a picture of my latest find. My sewing room is a mess.

My painting in my office/craft room is done, except for a bit of trim around the doors. Today hopefully John will be putting up the molding, and I can move my desk back where it belongs, instead of the middle of the room. Then I will be able to put the books back on the bookshelf, and gain control of my sewing room again!

Look What I Won!

2009-02-12T04:42:00.000-08:00

I recently entered Hideko's giveaway on her blog and won one of her lovely CQ jewelry pouches.
Mine arrived yesterday and I am thrilled. What an excellent mail day!

The pouch is just beautiful on both sides!

Thank you so much Hideko I am truly thankful to have won your lovely jewelry pouch!

Slow Room Progress

2009-02-04T04:43:00.001-08:00

I have been making slow progress on my craft room/office redo. My progress is hampered if I have a long, long day at work. But it is coming along.

This is the wall that will have cabinets and counters. I painted a base coat of Turquoise Sea, and yesterday I did a rag-faux painting glaze of Spaqua. I really like this wall, although by this photo it is not a true representation of the color.

This is more of the true color. This wall by the closet and the doorway I don't like too much and am thinking about repainting the base coat, and re-faux painting it. I couldn't get the rag roller around on these small areas, and I don't like the way it came out. So unless I change my mind by noon when I should get off work today, I am redoing this wall.

The red, white and blue switchplate don't stay. I just forgot to pick up a new brass one yesterday when I was at Lowe's.

My office section doesn't normally look like this. When I took stuff off the big bookcase, I stacked things on this other one by the window, and this stuff in front of my desk has pieces of the ceiling fan, light and my various painting things, and John brought in a light from the garage so I could see what I am doing.

Next I need to move all this stuff away from the window, and my rolltop desk on the other side of the room, so I can get the rest of the wallpaper off, and the last 1/4 area of popcorn ceiling off s I can finish up the ceiling and get light and fan put back together.

But I am antsy to get all this stuff moved. John has almost completed 1 of the cabinets that is going to go on the blank wall, and he is staining it cherry. Plus yesterday while we were at Lowe's we got the neatest molding, it is like a basketweave (one of my loves, baskets).

Valentines Print Link

2009-02-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

Lisa has created a countdown to Valentine’s Day with a new printable image sheet each day.

In her words , "Each day from February 1st through Valentine’s Day, one numbered heart with a link to that day’s surprise will appear. "

In her words: "Please note that these images are offered as LINKWARE. Before you download images, you must post a link to this page to your web site or blog, or include the link in a post to an online art group or message board. Once you have posted the link, feel free to download to your heart’s content."

Room Progress, 15 Little Quiltlets, UFO nearing completion

2009-01-29T04:53:00.000-08:00

I had previously mentioned and posted about my little quiltlet I recently got back after 15 months, on January 3rd. Sharon has a very nice post here about all of the steps we went through, and pictures of all the quilts. We had based this round robin on one that MayBritt at Abyquilt in Norway had previously participated in.

Room progress: I finally got the wallpaper off about half of the room. I had planned to start painting today. But that might change. I had previously talked to DH about taking down the popcorn ceiling. He didn't seem that excited at the time, but mentioned it this morning. I would rather do it now, while the room is half empty and the fish tanks are gone. So we might be doing that this morning.

We are working in sections, as my rolltop desk I use for my business is opposite this wall. I can't really move out of this room until we are done, because the DSL connection which I need for my business is on the opposite wall from this. I am going to have to paint what I can, scoot my desk out from the wall and work behind it for awhile. Also where you can see this ladder, is the window wall, looking out front. I will need to move a built-in bookcase that is on the window wall and all the stuff on it.

This is the bookcase that formerly held magazines, fish tank and a lot of stuff in my office. John talked about getting rid of it, but I am attached to this sturdy bookcase. He probably made it over 30 years ago. He reconfigured one of the shelves so my TV would fit on it and we put it out in the room I sit in when I want to stitch and watch "chick flicks" I was also able to put DGS's toys at the bottom.

On of these days, the plan is to take the paneling out of this room, and I will paint the walls. I don't think this year though!

Last night I was able to finish stitching this UFO. I had started it last year, had intended it for Kyleigh's BD in August, but with Katie's wedding that didn't happen. I wanted to finish it for Christmas, but that didn't happen either, with the cruise and getting back home and it was Christmas.

So I finished the stitchery. She requested a wall hanging so that is all I have left to do. This was from a Lynnette Anderson kit I got a number of years ago. It came out really cute, and reminds me of Kyleigh's cat that died last year.

NEW CQ RR. Lighthouse Landscape

2009-01-19T06:26:00.001-08:00

My small group of friends, Moira, Susan, Gail and Candi and I are starting another round of our round robin. Because I have had so much else going on, I decided to send around this pansy block. I had started the Peacemaker's 2001 CQ flower quilt, probably shortly after the calendar came out. I am almost finished with the sunflower block, and had pieced this Pansy block,. and silk ribbon embroidered the center pansy block, but never got any further. So this is what I am sending around this time. These ladies I am working with always work magic on the blocks we send around.

I finished my lighthouse landscape this past weekend. This is a closeup of the piece.

And the whole piece matted and framed.

SLOW PROGRESS ON ROOM REDO, LIGHTHOUSE LANDSCAPE

2009-01-14T05:33:00.000-08:00

I have been working really hard on this project I started in Asilomar in 2006 which was a class I took from Judith Baker Montano. The end of December I received an e-mail from Judith (as did other students), inquiring if we were finished with our projects, and if we could send a finished picture of our project by the 19th of January, she would like to include our projects in her next book, in a student project section in her next book which comes out in May 2009. If we do this, we are to receive a copy of the book. So I have been working like crazy to finish this up by Friday the 16th so I can e-mail the finished picture. I replaced my original lighthouse becaue the other one was falling off. I am close to putting a bunch of yellow flowers in the foreground but am laying in some folliage behind it first. I am watching the grandsons all day on Saturday, so I really need this done before that time.

As for my craft room/office redo, the carpenter who is building the cabinets (DH) has not been feeling too energetic this week, but he did get the
shell of 1 cabinet done.

I managed to totally empty this bookcase and the corner section. I need to empty this 10 gallon fish tank, and a larger 30 gallon fishtank which sits beside my desk and move them to the counter in the spare bathroom. This bookcase is going to be used in another part of the house. I can't peel the wallpaper in this section until I do this, maybe today.

I don't want to take too much time away from my sewing time though.

I did manage to peel down this section by the door. At the bottom of this photo is the top of the other fish tank I need to move.

This turquoise color was the color of the room when this was Katie's bedroom. When I made this room my office I papered it with the beach house wallpaper with lighthouse borders at the top. In peeling this off, I decided I really love this color.

I had planned on doing some faux painting, but then in looking through my books, I got this idea in my head to crackle. I had planned on painting over this color (assuming the wallpaper came off totally clean), and then painting over with an antique parchement or some cream colored paint and having the turquoise show through. It peeled off sort of clean where I could get to it on this wall, but if you look over the doorway, that whole wall hasn't. The white is all stuff I need to get off, and I am still peeling. So I am going to have to do the 3 step method, paint, crackle layer, and then overcoat of pain that crackles through.

I need to get over to Lowe's which is about 10 to 15 minutes away. My Home Depot yesterday didn't have the crackle stuff, or much of anything else I was looking for. We'll see if I can get off early today, or might have to wait until I finish my lighthouse project later on this week.