Finished projects :)

Cage quilts, pet stockings, more cage quilts, XS ornaments and some gift bags - lots of sewing done in the last week!!

Shopping bonanza :)

My girlfriend Chris and I ventured down to New York yesterday for a shopping trip - my first Black Friday foray. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but we didn't arrive at our first destination - Walden Galleria - until about 9:30 a.m. - as I understand it, the insanity starts much earlier - at the unGodly hour of 5:00 or 6:00 a.m. I'm sure you've read about the crazy bastards that trampled poor Jdimytai Damour to death in Long Island. I saw nothing of that nature - the stores were certainly busy, but no crazier or busier than any mall during the Christmas shopping season. We had a great day going from store to store - I bought fabric and craft supplies, mainly (big surprise!) - we were lucky enough to get waved through the border and didn't have to pay any duty, so that was a hell of a bonus!!

This is most of what I bought - there's one piece of fabric I didn't post because the recipient will know instantly it's for him ;), and I don't know if he reads my blog or not :D There are also 2 ornaments I need to find (not sure where I put them when I unpacked everything, lol) and some groceries - I don't think you need a picture of my Campbels Cream of Chicken soups!

Tomorrow I'll post pictures of the projects I've been working on this last week :)

Feel free to laugh - I am!

I've seen this style of potholder several times online, and I decided it was time for me to try it. Sans pattern. It looks pretty good ... except for the fact that it appears his HEAD IS MELTING - I didn't do a very good job of piecing that one square, LOL. I'm going to test how they stand up to a hot pot right off the stove - potholders shouldn't melt - I'd like to make a few more of these (without the melty head, hehe) but I'll need to give them a trial run first. Another change I'll make will be to bind the project instead of birthing it - it turns out that I like the bound version better. Here's a picture of one of these creations that isn't as deformed as mine ;)

Equal representation for cats ...

I'm working on it!! Finished these up for the shelter bazaar, so hopefully there are a few cat lovers out there ;) I have several more cut out waiting to be sewn - I have to get more batting.



I also got a few more cage quilts finished up - I wonder why the scrap pile doesn't seem to be going down any? LOL!!

Sandra also XS's :D

Pattern from "Christmas SAL 2008" booklet by Helga Mandl and Barbara Ana - available at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wXSw/?yguid=205496533 ... I paid by Paypal and got my pdf file in an hour or so --- very cute patterns! They have some really sweet patterns if you're into XS (cross-stitch) - their sites are here, if you want to have a peek:
Helga Mandl @ http://free-pu.t-com.hr/hmdesigns/index.html and
Barbara Ana @ http://www.freewebs.com/barbara-ana-designs/index.htm (NAYY)

I added seed beads to the ornament to add a bit of pizazz (or - as I prefer to call it - I slutted them up, hehe) - they're not very clear in the photo, but there are beads in the snow, the snowman and the poinsettia berries :)

Bigger doggy stockings :)

Two more stockings done -- I finished the two larger ones in the middle today - they measure 9" X 15". Sweet!! I also got 4 more cage quilts done :)

The stockings were hung ...

on the design wall with pins, so I could take a picture of them before putting them in the box of stuff that will get mailed to LAWS for their bazaar on Dec. 13. "by the chimney with care" would have been quicker to type :D These little treasures finished to 7.5" X 12.5" - great for a pom, or a yorkie, or a doxie ;) Perfect size also for kitties, albeit in a different fabric! ;)

Freebie stocking pattern link

Working my fingers to the bone!

In the last few days I've finished up 3 travel cases (those are the pink and pink/black items) from P3 Designs, 5 cage quilts for LAWS, and a bunch more gift bags for their next bazaar. I have to put my cross-stitch away for a couple of days until my hands clear up a bit - my psoriasis is flaring up and handwork is a bit difficult right now. That's ok tho, I have tons of other things to work on, lol.

My world :)

It was somewhat of a special day today - our youngest lad got confirmation from the JAC (Joint Apprenticeship Council) that he starts his health and safety orientation on December 8 - he'll be an electrical pre-apprentice :) His dad completed the same course 24 years ago and then went to work for the company he still works for. His older brother (now almost 20) completed the course in 2007 after he graduated high school, and then went to work for the same company his dad works for - he's a first year apprentice now. . And now - my baby (18) will be doing the same class, and then will go to work with his dad and older brother. So those 3 pairs of workboots and 3 flannel work coats ... represent all my boys (except the cat, LOLOL) and their career choices. It makes me sniffly!!! Happy sniffly, of course, but sniffly none-the-less!

Oh the weather outside is frightful ...

just finished!!! It worked up to 9" X 9.5" ... I picked that button for the yoyo because it looks rather wintery/snowy :) Free pattern available from Sue Hillis Designs -- thank you Sue :) This is a Christmas present so I'm happy it's done ... and done weeks early, no less!!

Keeping busy and staying out of trouble :D

I don't get into much trouble when I'm puttering away in my studio (aka the basement dungeon) - about the worst thing I do down there is to eat cookies without anybody knowing, hehe. That would explain my hips ... ;)

Here are a couple of items I've finished up in the last few days. 4 cage quilts and 2 gift bags for my niece's shelter (speaking of which - their fundraiser on Saturday raised $2000.00!!! TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS - that's incredible!) - the quilts are for the critters, and the gift bags are for their next bazaar :) The cross-stitch project was a freebie from Sue Hillis Designs - tomorrow I'll get the fabric to frame it and finish it up. Now that I'm looking at the picture, I think I'll add a couple more snowflakes (they're BEADS!) on the left side to balance it out a bit - it seems a bit right-heavy ;) This will be a Christmas gift when it's finished! Time to pick my next XS project - I'm doing very well (so far) at finishing each project I start. I'm sure that won't last forever tho, LOLOL.

Can't post ALL my pics ...

because some of the items are Christmas gifts and the recipient will recognize them as such :p


Here's one I finished today, tho - and it's for MOI :) The pattern is from Stitchy Kitty, and the fabric is from Laurel Burch. This little mini finished up to 8" square, and is now residing in my front hall, ready to greet anybody who drops by. Zoomer approves, as he speaks the language himself (and sometimes in a whiney manner, imagine!)

BTW -- CONGRATULATIONS Barack Obama!!!!

They're on their way :)

20 bibs, 4 fabric baskets, 5 Grab 'n go bags, 6 tote bags and 10 sets of coasters (3 X 6 packs, 7 X 4 packs)- boxed and mailed - WHEW! Also pictured - my Meow Spoken Here project under construction - freebie pattern available from Stitchy Kitty!



And now I'm taking a break - I have a big pot of minestrone soup simmering away in the crockpot, porkchops ready for the bbq, carrots peeled and ready to microwave - I'm going to lay on the couch and watch ER :D

The last bit of sewing for the bazaar :)

The last of the sewing for the LAWS bazaar --- 3 more sets of coasters, and 2 more totes. WHEW! I got the stuff mailed off today - will do a post later with pictures of the goodies I sent - I hope it's stuff they can use!

Sewing my little fingers to the bone :D

I hope everybody had a happy - and safe - Halloween!! It was really a VERY nice bunch of kids we had - moms and dads would be very proud to know how well behaved their little (and not so little!) ones were :) Here's our last minute jack-o-lantern - carved by hubby. He'd never carved one before either - what a deprived childhood he had, LOL.



A couple of crafty pics --- two more cage quilts for LAWS, and some items I've sewn up for their bazaar - two more sets of coasters and two tote bags. The doggy fabric is from Sunni and Jessi, via my SIL Heather ;) :) I have a couple more kitty totes under construction, but I'm doing them assembly-line style so they'll be done pretty much at the same time. I'll try to get them finished today, and maybe one or two small items finished tomorrow, then will send the stuff off to Smiths Falls for the bazaar. I hope the stuff is OK - I didn't have a lot of guidance as to what they wanted or what would sell well, so I worked on what I knew I could do fairly well. Fingers crossed - I hope they raise a LOT of $$$ :)

Coasters and cat hammocks!

I certainly learned my lesson about adding trim to bibs, LOLOL. I decided to work on something that I was pretty sure would work out nicely - a set of Christmas coasters, and another cage quilt. I'm going through stuff in that laundry basket at a nice pace, but I keep adding new stuff to the basket, so it isn't actually going DOWN! That's OK tho - I know I'm making a dent in my stash AND helping out the kitties and puppers, so I'm happy :)

Speaking of kitties ... my SIL Heather sent me this link yesterday and I fell in LOVE - I have to make one of these to send to the shelter to see if my niece thinks they could use some - if they like it, I'll make more. What an adorable project!

This isn't good ...

I was working on bibs today with a big piece of kitty cat flannel I had in my stash. I decided to add trim to each one, but they didn't turn out like I hoped! Individually they look cute (imo), but grouped en masse - they look like crap. I'm not sure if I'll send all of them to the shelter for the bazaar - just looking at the picture makes me want to throw some of them on the floor, LOL!!! What a dilemma - what if I send them to the bazaar and they're so ugly they give someone a heart attack???!! ACK!! Not sure what I'm going to do about this ... must think :p The two with the lace trim look cute, tho, so they can go :)

The two cage quilts turned out great, as did the Christmas pillowcases - so all in all it's been a pretty good sewing day!! I have beef stew cooking away in the oven, and my crockpot tapioca looks and smells delicious!

XS doesn't stand for "extra small" ...

especially referring to MOI, lolol. However, in today's post, it stands for cross-stitch - a delightful needlecraft I haven't practiced in a great number of years. I kept coming across freebie patterns online and my interest was repiqued, so I started saving SMALL project patterns to perhaps try. Here's the first project I've completed in years - actually it's not even a project yet - it's just a finished pattern, lol. It's going to be made into a pincushion. I think. :) It measures a tad over 3" square, was stitched on 14 count Aida cloth (from Freecycle!!!) and the pattern is from Lizzie Kate :) I need to get better lighting in my family room so I can continue to do XS - my eyes would prefer 11 count but YUCK! LOL!!!

Oh - and thanks to my SIL Heather for the reminder on how to start the stitches off with a loop ... I had totally forgotten that until you mentioned it and figured it out - I hope your XS'ing is going well ... and that you'll post pics on your blog soon, LOL!!!

Me :)

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww it snowed all day ...

and EWWWWWWWWWWWWW it didn't go away!! It's still white out there - this is NOT good - it's far too early for snow!!! I was going to take a picture but I decided that it doesn't DESERVE having it's picture taken because I HATE IT! :)

One of my friends adopted a beautiful wee kitten from a local shelter and I told her I'd make 6 cage quilts for them, on behalf of Punkin :) These are each 17" square and backed with microfleece - very soft :)


I also got a few more cage quilts made for my niece's shelter, some bibs for their fundraiser and a pillowcase for my godson Gabriel. I emailed the person in charge of the bazaar to ask what kind of items they need but I haven't heard back yet. Until I hear, I'll just whip up a few things that I enjoy making. If I have to change my projects - so be it!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm soft :)

More yummy soft warm cage quilts for LAWS - I mailed off a batch of them on Saturday via Canada Post, so the box should arrive in Smiths Falls by Wednesday :) Have started making more for the next batch - all are, of course, Zoomer approved :D


A few weeks ago I made a fabric basket and a grab 'n go bag for a fundraiser that one of my fabric store ladies was participating in - the event was yesterday and she never contacted me to pick up the items! So they'll be donated to another organization ... I"m sure it was an oversight that she forgot to pick them up, and I hope their fundraiser was a big success :)