Thursday, November 6, 2008












Here is a carry all that I just made - I'm quite proud of how it turned out which was not like the pattern. The pattern was not lined and the handles were cloth - but I had some plastic handles so I used them instead. I did make a mistake though because it should have had a zippered top. I liked it so well I made another one to hold my serger!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Fall is Here




Well, fall is finally here although you can't tell by the thermometer! Our daytime highs are still in the 100s. But it is cooler at night. Living here also means that now a lot of the flowers and shrubs are blooming again. This "Yellow Bells" was given to me by a friend several years ago. I moved it to this spot and thought I killed it, but finally after two years of pampering it took off and I have beautiful blooms. I'm going to have to some serious pruning it can grow to 20 feet!



I decided to put the quilt in the guest bedroom. It looked a little bare, so I made matching pillow shams to go with the quilt. I didn't add batting and quilt them, perhaps later. I plan on redoing the room so this is a great start, with such a colorful quilt I have a lot of colors to choose from.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Finally Finished!




Well the quilt is finally finished. I called it a sampler because I incorporated several different techniques; applique, beading, etc. This is only the second quilt I didn't make for someone else. I used fabric samples from a company in New York. I had them for years wondering what to do with them. They were too pretty to throw away. I used some to them in a quilt for my niece, used more in this quilt and I have plenty left to perhaps make another quilt! It turned out a lot larger than I thought, just slightly bigger than queen-sized. So now it's finished so on to the next project.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Another Sidetrack




I just finished (in time for her birthday) the room box I made for my sister-in-law. She would like for her hobby to be cooking and she does make a "mean" cheesecake. We have done some catering, her dream is to someday have her own place. This may or may not happen but to keep her eye on the prize so to speak I thought I'd make a little room to catch her wishes. It was the first roombox I have ever done. Hope she likes it!

The Top is Finished!



I have finished piecing the top of the quilt. It turned out a lot larger than I thought, it it about the size of a queen-sized quilt. Only the second largest I have done so far. Now I have to do the quilting which should be a challenge considering the size! But I am very happy with it.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Sidetracked



















I got a little sidetracked from my dollhouse projects - Here is the family quilt I am currently working on. As far as I know the pattern has no name it is just something I put together. I am probably the standard quilter because I don't spend much time trying to make the squares the same size or the seam match or anything of the sort. I added applique and different African fabrics making up the design as I go along - I am calling this quilt "Family Sampler." This the fifth or sixth quilt I have made (although it is only the second one I got to keep) they are all different, most have family photos incorporated in them. I have not finished the quilt, still working on the top. As any of you quilters out there know I still have a long way to go!

Friday, August 15, 2008

Dollhouse Orphan



This is my newest acquisition - I found this house at my local thrift shop. A couple of weeks ago I stopped by - I have found that thrift stores are a great resource for miniatures. You never know what you will find. Anyway on my first visit I was in a hurry so I didn't spend too much time except to note that the house was there. Also it was priced a little more than I wanted to pay - after all it is called "bargin shopping."

Anyway on my second visit this little forlorn house was priced at $6.99 - so of course I felt it must follow me home. It was poorly put together with hot glue. For future information for you newbies, NEVER use hot glue to put a dollhouse together - especially in Arizona. Besides the glue looking gloppy, it is not permanent. Because it was in the car for several hours before I could get it home, the seams loosened, they would certainly not hold up to any type of use or decoration so it will have to be reglued.

Duracraft San Franciscan Dollhouse 550 - Part One


I purchased this dollhouse several years (I'm not saying how many) ago and finally decided to put it together. After all how hard could it be? Well putting it together was not hard, time consuming but not hard. As with any project however, there is learning curve. I dove in with both feet as usual, collecting books, etc.; I also discovered a huge resource in Ebay.
I really had no idea the magnitude of the world of miniatures. It is so much more than little house that kids play with - a lot of them are not for playing with at all.
Once I got into it I was hooked - it can be all consuming and don't get me started on the money! Anyway I didn't take pictures of the unassembled house, but here are some "unfinished" pictures. Along the road to completion.