Border print runner

I had to steal this pic off my Mom's blog. I made this last month while my camera was MIA. I think I have a table runner obsession this season. I have more in various stages of completion too. It's funny because finding a table with a runner on it around my house is impossible. I think this one will be a gift.
  Work is taking a lot of my time lately with no end in sight. I put 60 hours in this week and until Christmas I'll be working 6 days a week. I am trying to do a lot of sewing this weekend but so far all I've done is fight a headache and run to the grocery and pharmacy. Well a little housework has to be done or the next week will be hard around here too. So if I don't post for awhile you all know what's going on...........

Shoe Box

I took Sara to her TEC weekend in Yankton on Thursday. While at Calvary Baptist Church where they hold the retreat I saw their display for the Operation Shoe Box program. They look like they fill a lot of boxes and I was really impressed with the whole thing. So on the way home I thought about what I could do to donate. I briefly thought about stopping at the dollar store but really don't have the extra cash...so I started thinking about what I have in my craft stash. I bought the bear beads when I worked at the zoo (long time ago) to make Emily the Bear bracelets for a fundraiser. Most of the rest I got at auctions or garage sales or someone gave to me. While hauling corn today (ok waiting for it to dump into the auger) I strung beads. Then I rode with Kevin to O'Neill and strung beads. Then I finished the last 5 sitting in my chair. Total bracelets.....42....!!!!!! I used up all the bear beads, the heart beads and the neon beads. I also used up all the elastic cord I had so I guess I'm done now. I will drop off the finished bracelets on Sunday when I pick Sara up. I love donating!!!!

Customer quilts

 Just a peak at what I've been working on for others. This was made by a young man last year in HS. He now has it at college.

A special quilt for a special baby...........

Christmas present?

The gift making has started! Just a sneak peak at what Mom and I are working on.

Jewelry

 I still work on my jewelry in my spare time. (usually sunday afternoon) I am still working on beads I bought last fall in Texas. This strand is for me, I like random stones in semi random order and love liquid silver beads. I am hoping to wear this set with a soft comfy sweater and my boots.

 I am also making a few things for a small consignment shop in Atkinson called Possibilities, home of Alabaster Box Soap.

These bracelets are just a few of the things I have taken there in the last few months. Jewelry, quilts, dishtowels, table runners, hotpads, scrubbies, baby things, hats, scarves...........etc....etc....etc.....
I am really having fun building jewelry but I can't wear it all so if I can sell a few things all the better.

Halloween table runner

I love Halloween! I like the colors, weather and spooky days this time of year. I like decorating for Halloween too so this little table runner fits in perfectly at my house. I did make a pattern and kits for the Shoppe so I don't know if I will bring it home in time for the 31st or not, depends on how fast the kits sell. The ghost shapes are cut with the Sizzix, I love that machine! I should use it more!!!
  Today is going to be a sewing day if I ever get out of the house. Sometimes its just so hard to put on clothes and walk 200 feet to my studio.........I like my jammies on sundays! 

just a few......

 Just a few things I made for the Shoppe for samples. I saw a table runner similar to this and loved it so I made my own version. I made this one extra long for big tables. That's a 6 foot table it's shown on.

This little raggy quilt I cut with my 5 inch raggy die by Sizzix. Oh my do these raggy's take a lot of fabric! This baby blankie is 30 x30 but I could add a row or two with the left overs if I wanted to take the time. I just did patterns, no kits for the Shoppe.
  I might have already blogged about these, I don't remember so if I did please forgive me. I am still playing catch up with my pic's. I have some on my phone(don't know how to download them yet) some on the camera at the Shoppe and some on Mom's camera. Oh and my camera with dead batteries.

Wow...can't believe it's been since last winter that I've posted anything on my blog! Lets just say two jobs got in the way of a lot of things. So I will try to do a little catch up and probably skip a whole bunch in my writings.
   Last springs Shop Hop was a great success at Quilters Candy Shoppe. Mom helped me whip up this quilt using Nebraska Fabric. We sold kits and patterns.  I took the quilt home shortly after shop hop because it was a sell out. I am going to donate it to the kids to raffle off for their high school trip to Washington DC next spring. So if you are in the Clearwater/Orchard  Nebraska area find a kid and get a ticket.
  I didn't do very well of taking pic's of my projects the last year or so but my new plan is to carry my camera more and document my true love of creating. I am down to one job (Fed Ex) so maybe life will slow down and I can share it on my blog more.

Tabletopper

 I am making patterns and kits for the Shoppe, I like little tabletoppers and I hope other people do too. This is the Radiant Star, I varied it a bit with the addition of  a fourth color and made it 18x18.

The Jewel Box is a personal favorite and I floated the block in small border the same as the background.
  We're getting ready for Shop Hop beginning April 3.  Nine days of fun! Oh and throw National Quilting Day in before....Wow! ( I think that's March 22???)

My dog

 Sammy was the only one in the house that would model for me this time.

 Looks thrilled...........it's a cowl, or short infinity scarf. I haven't worn it yet, should soon before the cold weather is over.

 Dos Gato got the job of modeling the dish scrubbies. Everyone I know should have the cleanest dishes with as many of these as I make.

 Quick pic of the craft booth Mom and I had over Christmas, sold a few things.

 This is the new tablerunner I made for Quilters Candy Shoppe. Kits are on sale now.

This baby Raggy Quilt will have kits soon, I will be writing up the pattern this week. I still have to wash and dry it to make it "raggy".

Finished ornaments

 Here's a pic of the finished stars, not sure if my family really cares if I make homemade things for their trees but they got them anyway.

This is the only pic of the T-shirt quilt I was commissioned to make, got it done before Christmas.

Stars

 I am making crochet stars for Christmas ornaments for my family this year. I used fabric stiffener on the back of these so they keep their shape and they are easier to work with. I think I will back them with printed paper and hang with ribbon and add a few beads.

I also made a few new pieces of jewelry, this is just one of them. I like to make bracelets because I have big wrists and nothing store bought fits very well.
  I started a new job with Fed Ex two months ago, that's why I don't blog very much right now. I was hired for two days a week and full time the month of December. Well two full weeks of training, a week of fill in for vacation during Hunting season, and a jump start on the holiday season before Thanksgiving and now we're into 6 days a week deliveries. Wow, no wonder there have been no blog posts..........lol! I did a lot of stuff early for craft shows with Mom and she shows it on her blog, flicshasews.BlogSpot.com   

Tomato time

 I have been very lucky this year, someone gave us a bunch of tomato's to can up. Mom and I spent the day canning salsa and regular tomato's. We finished the day with 40 jars of salsa and 27 jars of tomato's. I love salsa with black beans and corn so that's what I made and Mom wanted tomato's for cooking.

I'm always thankful for help in the kitchen, it went so fast with Mom cleaning and coring that sometimes I couldn't keep up with the chopping, good thing I have a nice food processor. I made a huge kettle of goulash with the tomato's that were left over(ran out of small lids and big mouth jars). I made it just like my Grandma Allen's, then I felt just like I was a kid eating dinner with my grandparents.........I loved it! Then I had so much left I had to share with a small disclaimer...if it's terrible I'm sorry, it tastes just like my grandma's........and I never said she was a good cook............

Jane's B-day

 My Mom made this western theme apron for Jane, the pockets are the shirt cuffs. She trimmed it in western fabric leftover from tablerunners. Jane came and sewed with us for the day and she wore the apron all day long. The purse below is what she worked on with us. Mom gave her the fabric and I showed her how to make it. We had a fun day sewing for her B-day.

Baby Gifts

 Just a shot of some baby gifts Mom and I made for some new babies. The top is for a set of twins born earlier this week.

 This set goes to a baby who is waiting to show up in November, and nobody knows if it's a boy or girl yet either.

 

 I finished my sample embroidery bib also.

Oh and Crazy Sheep..........lol

Baby Bibs

 I have been working on these bibs for days.........ugh! I did all the embroidery in the evening while watching TV (not listening) or in between other things. I kept trying new things with the machine or thread or patterns so it's been a learning experience too. Some patterns have way to many thread changes to make them cost effective for craft shows but they are gonna be cute gifts.

 I also learned how to apply snaps, oh my it was a headache! Still not great at it but after 45 minutes and lots of ruined snaps I think I have the hang of it. Oh and it would of helped if I would of bought all the tools required to set those cute brown and pink plastic snaps........now I have to find the setting pliers if I want to use those snaps and have them set well.

 I fell in love with the dog print and just knew it would make the cutest bibs.

I am really glad they are done, what possessed me to make 16 of them at the same time?  Oh yeah I'm crazy and think  "if one is good, 16 is better".

Crochet

 This batch of baby hats will be traveling oversea to Jordan. There is a group called LILY collecting stuff for Syrian refugees. Mom made the bottom 4 hats on the small Kifty Knitter Loom.

 This batch goes in the craft show pile. Who doesn't need a baby camo hat? Or a sparkly blue slouchie beanie?

This scarf is so much prettier in real life. There is two different sparkly yarns and 4 or so different browns and tans. I love the texture the variety of yarns create.

Well Mom and I are off to another craft show this weekend, it's called  The Country Market and it's held at the Old Scenic Pilger Rest Area on Hwy 275  east of Norfolk Ne.
  It's an outside show with over 60 vendors of various crafts, antiques, produce, lunch and activities. I'm looking forward to it and I know it's going to be lots of fun!  Oh it's Saturday and open from 9-4.

Cross body bags

 I made this little bag for myself last week. I wanted something I could wear while shopping that would be hands free. It's 8 by 11 inches with a front pocket for my cell phone and a zip top. I added a LONG strap. Being a large girl I wanted something that didn't cut me in half when I wore it or anything to heavy to drag along the body in weird ways. I used regular interfacing to keep it lightweight and loops to add the strap, or hook keys to if I don't have room in the bag for them. This fabric came into the Shoppe awhile back and I fell in love. It took me a long time to decide if I wanted it for anything. I wear a lot  of brown and it looks so cute with my coral summer t-shirt too. I keep my BIG purse in my car and this one fits inside if I think I need to carry both. My chiropractor advised me to give up the BIG purse in favor of my neck and spine health.

Mom and I made these the other day, she found the fabric and thought it would be perfect for a friend of hers. I like these bags and I know there are more in my future!

Hats.........more hats...

 I am starting to branch out, look, a scarf to match. I think this set is for me. Both Mom and Sara don't like it because it's browns and they say the hat is wonky. Well I kind of like wonky and I wear lots of brown in the fall and winter so this suits me perfectly.

 The top hat is a regular adult size and the bottom hat is a large. Same contrast yarn, two different shades of brown for the base yarn. Sometimes I like to make almost the same thing with a little tweak to make it better or different.

 This hat actually has an orange crown, just can't tell in the pic, my model is getting tired of me.....

 Another set I might keep......short scarf with a loop on the front to tuck the end in so it stays around the neck. Same loop on the side of the hat to gather it up just a bit.

I made a slouchy beanie in camo yarn, Sara said it's just a brown and green hat.

So I guess I spent to much time in my chair creating hats..........