Cooking, Sewing, Working, Traveling, Gardening and Pondering

Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential.

~Winston Churchill~

Monday, July 26, 2010

I'm Early for AIW Swap


I finished the apron...well mostly anyway - I may change out the neck tie to a red satin. Then I'll add the heart buttons and some sort of heart flower thingy I'm dreaming up. For some reason you can not see the layer of black tulle on the very bottom...dang my picture taking skills have got to improve or use my hubs big fancy camera in stead of my phone.


I also finished of a Dia de los Muertos apron for my hairdresser. I like the dingle balls along the bottom with the tulle.

Alice in Wonderland - Apron Update


I've been using a pattern that I bought from Sugar Pie Chic's Etsy Store. I love the apron. Love it dearly.

So here it what I have done so far for the AIW Apron Swap. It's the skirt portion with the waist band pinned on. I have the bib and ties ready to be added, just lacking the time to finish.

I added in a another skirt panel over the main skirt - so a kind of apron on the apron - in black eyelet. The red underskirt kind of jumps out through the eyelet holes. The geometric pattern of the accent fabric makes it all kind of fun. I'm going for the artsy interpretation of the Red Queen. The picture doesn't show it well but under the band on the bottom I added a layer of black tulle too. The jumbo ric-rac is on the eyelet hem.

Does this scream "Off with her head"?

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Christmas in July -




So I didn't quite do what I started out to do. Time is not usually on my side. But I did want a table runner for my dining room table that would go with my Christmas decorations. I like the traditional home spun style christmas. I did make all the pennies for the end of the runner and love how they add that little bit of handmade charm.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

I Like A Warm Big Belly


My pig was an epic fail. I had dreams of making this cute little red pig to go along with my AIW apron swap - sacrificed my red cashmere sweater (it was a few years old and now I live in sunny southern calif so not many opptys to wear it). I stitched, I sewed, I mixed hand harvested lavender and scented rice. I tried so hard. I tried 3 pigs.

But my pig looks like a rat. Think I'll salvage the scented stuffing to make sachets for my closet.

poor little piggie.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Anyone Make Dryer Sheet Quilts Out There?

Last summer when I was up at my Aunt Nancy's in Oregon, she taught me how to make dryer sheet quilt squares. They are super easy and what a way to upcycle all those used dryer sheets!. One day I want to tackle one of these. I found this online and really will work on it - some day. I promise.

Always amazed at what people dream up. Look at this beautiful quilt square.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

The Challenges at my house.



Originally uploaded by amysgreatadventure
So I have these 2 dachshunds. One is a smooth haired dapple named Dott. The other is a wirehair named Dazzi (Daisy). Not only are they true hound dogs...yes they can bay. But nothing is safe. When I was in a knitting phase, I went to the rest room and by the time I got back to knitting, there was yarn from the back bedroom to the living to the dining room and around into the kitchen. I was gone for about 2 minutes tops.

Tonight, I had just washed a stack of fabric for various sewing projects and had set it on the sofa (my bad) while I went to get the ironing board and iron. I like to watch TV when I iron. By the time I was back in the living room this is what I found.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Hot Mama Apron Swap - Alice in Wonderland!!!

I am so excited to be doing this next apron swap. It is being hosted by Val. Val was my partner for the Cupcakes, Cherries and M.E. swap. I really enjoyed making her an apron last month and now I'm just having kittens to be doing her swap this month!

The theme is "Alice in Wonderland". I have been day dreaming about ideas and fabrics and clocks oh my. Do I Tweedle Dee or Tweedle Dum? Down the rabbit hole I go to find some amazing fun.

Thanks Val for hosting!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Cupcakes, Cherries and M.E. Apron Swap


Yeah! I was excited when I came home to a package today. Actually, I had 3! One was a new skin for my new iphone 4G! One was a selection of christmas buttons for my center piece for the August project for the Christmas in July. But the third, well the third was my Apron from my partner Crystal in the Cupcakes, Cherries and M.E. Apron Swap.

It's a sweet apron with a story. This was Crystal's first swap and she had a mishap at the end - the iron scorched it! Gasp! Everyone's worst nightmare. She was able to salvage the apron with some crafty applique work.

She include some wonder ME sparkly accents, adorable ME nail files, so sweet cupcake toppers and note cards. She included some much needed recipe cards that I just love.

Thank you Crystal and welcome to swapping.

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