Meet Henry

Meet Henry!  I don't make a lot of stuffed animals, but when I came across this Softie Scotty Dog pattern I knew that I had to make one for my daughter-in-law.  Henry made with upcycled wool from a thrift shop skirt and hand stitched, so he's a little "ruff" around the edges, but I know he's going to be loved!

Pint Size Snuggie

It seems that the lil' cowboy loves his daddy's snuggie, but he gets frustrated with all the extra fabric due to its extra large size.  I am not a tailor, but I figured that even I could make a blanket with sleeves.  A quick Google search provided several tutorials for snuggies in all different sizes, with all of them claiming that a snuggie could be made in less than an hour.  I used this pattern as a starting point. It is a great child's snuggie pattern, but I still had to scale the measurements down for it to fit a three year old. Time total to adjust the pattern, cut the fabric and sew the whole thing together?  Less than one hour!  Hopefully this little snuggie will keep the lil' cowboy warm without frustration.

Merry Christmas!

May your home be filled with peace and love on this Christmas day and the whole year through!

Christmas Eve

Patterned Behavior?

Look at my post from December 22, 2010 and then look at my post from last Friday, December 16, 2011.  Do you see a pattern developing?

Hand Print Snowmen

Look at these hand print snowman ornaments made by my very talented daughter-in-law and grandson!  Grandparents and a few other lucky recipients all received one of these special ornaments to hang on their tree this year.  What wonderful keepsakes they are!  The tutorial can be found at Mom's Crafty Space.

The Big Reveal

I missed out on the big challenge quilt reveal for my Out-of-Line Quilter's group because I've had the dreaded "Just Before Christmas" bronchitis, but Anya was kind enough to share a photo of all the quilts with me so I could see what my quilty friends made with their challenge fabrics.  I think everyone met the challenge beautifully...these are some truly amazing quilts!  Visit our group blog, Random Acts of Stitching, if you would like to read more about these wonderful quilts.  

Silent Sunday

Knit, Knit, Knit!

I've been knitting like a maniac this week!  Maybe next year I should start my knitted Christmas gifts a little earlier.

Mission Accomplished!

Remember the challenge to use these fabrics in a little art quilt that I accepted back at the end of October?  (If not, you can read about it HERE.) Even then I was questioning what kind of trouble I had gotten myself  into, but honestly I really didn't think this this little quilt would bring as much trouble as it did.  The real challenge for me wasn't the fabric selection, but it was all about the inspiration that just wouldn't come...until a skunk looking for a home for the winter found its way into our basement.  To make a long story short, for two very long weeks in November my house smelled very much of skunk and flower garden air fresheners.  Once my sense of humor returned, my quilty friend, Nancy, suggested that I commemorate the event with an art quilt.  Yes, the fabrics seemed to work with the theme, but how should I go about making a skunk
art quilt?  It was then that the old Pepe Le Pew cartoons came to mind...remember the waves of green stink that followed him everywhere he went?  That became my inspiration along with the floral scent that I used to try and cover up the skunky odor.  Now to decide on a name...  should it be, "OMG What's That Smell?" or "No Amount Of Air Freshener Is Ever Going To Cover Up This Stink!"?

Crystal Blue Persuasion

Even though I was having a hard time finding inspiration for my December Priority: Alzheimer's Quilt, I managed to come up with a little quilt of which I am quite proud.  Not only is this quilt made of fabrics that I dyed myself, but I'm pleased with the overall design and I think the addition of the glass seed beads finish this quilt off nicely.  The thing that makes me the proudest of this quilt really doesn't have anything to do with the design or workmanship, but has everything to do with the fact that it completes my New Year's Resolution for 2011!  This is the first time I've ever kept a New Year's Resolution...ever!  Over the past year I have made 12 quilts and raised $519.95 for the AAQI and it was a whole lot more fun and easier to do than losing 20 pounds or exercising every day!  I believe that I'll be making the same resolution again for 2012.

Silent Sunday

Spritz Cookies

Spritz cookies are a must at our house for Christmas...mainly because they are my favorite Christmas cookie!

Spritz Cookies

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Sift together the flour and salt; set aside.  In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.  Stir in the egg yolk, almond extract and vanilla extract.  Gradually blend in the sifted ingredients.  Fill a cookie press with dough and shoot cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  If you like, decorate with sugar or sprinkles at this time.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies just start to turn golden around the edges.

Totally Awesome!

The sales have all been totaled and it's official, the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative sold 1,141 Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilts during International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX, raising $62,000 for Alzheimer's research during the four and a half day quilt show.  Yes, that was one thousand one hundred forty-one little quilts that sold for a total of sixty-two THOUSAND dollars...record sales for the AAQI at the Houston show!  Those are some totally awesome totals!

Progress

Maybe the stress of a looming deadline can spark a little creativity. Once I took the plunge and made that first cut, the pieces started going together and surprisingly what I have done, so far, doesn't look too bad!  Stay tuned...if I can stay on task I should have a finished quilt (or two) to show soon! 

Time And Creativity

If not for deadlines I would rarely finish anything, so I fully understand the need for time limits.  However, I do question how it is possible to be creative with time constraints.  Normally (for me) inspiration comes first and then I begin work, but what happens when there's a date circled on the calendar and inspiration doesn't come?  Panic sets in and fabric starts flying regardless of an idea or plan!  Now the question is...can art really come out of panic and lack of a plan?  

Silent Sunday

Sleeping Bag

Our youngest granddaughter is turning 3 years old this weekend. (Yes, it has really been three years!)  She has asked for an "American Girl" doll just like the ones that her older sisters have.  It will be nice for her to have her own doll so that she can play along with her sisters, but I thought it would be nice for her to have something for her doll that her sisters don't have...a sleeping bag!  I used a tutorial from Peas in a Pod along with some of my vintage sheet collection and had the whole project done in no time at all!  I love how it turned out and there's no doubt in my mind that I will end up making three more for the other dolls in the family!