Water Aerobics and a Crown

I have been going to water aerobics since I was released from physical therapy. It has been great. I have enjoyed it, more than I thought I would. It has helped with the recovery from back surgery.

Then my instructor asked me if I would like to teach. She said they would need someone local to fill in during bad weather or someone sick. I said yes and went though all the procedures to get hired on by the hospital's physical therapy department.

Last Tuesday and Wednesday, I taught my first two classes. A little scary, but the classes were small. During my Wednesday class, the ladies were all talking about a surprise party they were planning for my instructor. She had reached her goal at Weight Watchers, and nothing was said they just dropped her from the program. So they wanted to do a tah da party. Everyone was suppose to bring something for her, plus they wanted to get her a burger king crown to wear during the party. I told them I would make the crown, even though I had never made one.

Of course, I googled it. I found this wonderful site.

http://creativechaos.typepad.com/creative_chaos/2007/05/crown_tutorialp.html

I then proceeded to think on it all week of how I wanted to decorate it. I wanted something sexy, different and fun. I kept imagining the hour glass figure. Weight Watcher ads always have a person with a tape measure around their middle, so I went from there. So here you can see the little figure I created for my focal. I left the crown unfinished til the party. I did mine a little different then the websites. I wanted a band that went around the head instead of ribbon to tie it on. At the party, I put double stick tape on one end of the band and then wrapped it around her head. I then cut off the excess. It was fun. Here are some pictures.

Happy Veteran's Day

My Veteran's Day Present. Today our daughter-in-law gave birth to our twin granddaughters. Payton was 6p 9.9oz. Cheyanne was 4p 12oz. The girls are identical twins. Both babies and mother are doing fine. What a nice present for this Verteran and their US Navy dad. Oh yah, Grandpa too! I played around in the photo program and gave them a patriotic border. Wish we could be there to hold them.

Quilt Ribbon

Sorry I have not posted for awhile. My quilting has kept me very busy. I have also been pondering a decision about my business. I have had my mother, husband, peers and others telling me that my pricing is too too low. For me this is a hard thing. Then one of my own customers/friend told me I need to. So after much researching on her part, I have done it.

Well on the fun part. My friend Sharon Ledbetter entered one of her quilts in the Washington State Quilters, big quilt show. This morning she showed up wearing to big ribbons on her chest. One for her and one for me. The ribbon is for first in class. She was just beaming. I am too. She said to my husband, as she drove away "Now she can raise her prices" Does anyone else struggle with raising your prices?

I don't know if you remember this quilt, but here is the winning quilt. My friend took a picture of me standing by it. They did not put the ribbons on till Sunday, but being married to a photographer, any thing is possible. He took a picture of it on the ribbon on the green screen, and I was able to put it onto the picture of me and the quilt. You can see closer pictures of the quilting on my webshots.

Last weekend was very busy because of my business and my husbands. His name is getting out their for portraits and we went out into the country to take senior portraits of one of my husbands classmates son.

Fair Theme

So this last week it has been quilting, quilting, quilting.

This weekend, my husband and I spent getting our entries ready for the fair. I will post pictures after the fair, but had to share these.

Our fair theme this year is Fair -E- Tail. Every year, there are areas in the different departments that you can enter something that shows the fair theme. This year I decided to dress up my dog and enter in the Fair theme picture contest. He is a fairy princess. The first picture, I brought his picture into the computer and enhanced/changed the colors and put a castle picture behind him. In the second one I just took a picture of him in front of our grape vines. Don't know what the judges will think.

New Dog Vest

Here is another dog vest I have made for the Yorkie. My son-in-law is in a motorcycle club. I have been embroidering their shirts with their logo. So the other day I thought it would be fun to make a vest for the Yorkie, with the logo, so he would match dad. My daughter loved it. They have a motorcycle ralley coming up and are so excited for him to wear it then. I will enter it into the fair first.

Special Votive Holders

I made these to decorate the tables at a BBQ tonight. The BBQ is to thank our city workers, firemen, emts and police.

I love making these things.

A little tatting

I have been doing a little tatting. I signed up for the tatting design class, but don't want to show that here.

I also am working on some of Linda Davis's flowers for a spray. Will show that when it is finished.

I saw the several tatters had made Vicki Clarke's Ruffled Heart. I just had to try it and got addicted. Not sure what I will do with them, but can't seem to stop making them.

Colors of my Rainbow.

Your rainbow is shaded violet.

What is says about you: You are a creative person. You appreciate beauty and craftsmanship. You are patient and will keep trying to understand something until you've mastered it.

http://spacefem.com/quizzes/rainbow">Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

Funny Card to Share

A kid my husband works with, had a 4 wheeler accident. Seems this is his 3rd 4 wheeler accident.

I decided to make him a get better card. I had never made one of the cards, but found the instructions on the web. I chose this kind, because of the animation with the 4 wheeler rolling over. We live in wheat country, so found a picture of this for the background. I then found a picture of a guy, that I added to the picture to make it look like someone upside down in the wheat field. I then found a picture of a 4 wheeler. I can't believe how easy and fun this kind of card is.

Here is a picture of the finished card and the inside.

Wedding Done

The Bride & Groom

Well it was a beautiful wedding. One of the hottest days of the year, here.

Just a few days before the wedding, my daughter still had not picked out a song to walk down the isle with. She had one picked out when it was suppose to be her biological father (aka sperm doner my Xhusband). But 2 weeks before the wedding he called her and told her he would not be coming. So now, it would be my husband, the father that had raised her. I was listening to the radio as I worked and a new song by Keith Urban came on. I got tearing eyed, and goose bumps. I found the song on You Tube, and played it for my daughter. Perfect she said. So now to purchase the song. So now my son taught me about purchasing songs online. If you have not heard Keith Urbans "Only You Can Love Me This Way", go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCd84rUMnnY

My dad is a pastor, and my daughter wanted her papa to officiate her wedding. Everyone had a hard time keeping dry eyes.

It took me a few days to recover from the wedding. It drains ya. The following week, we animal sat as the kids went on their honeymoon. Then last Sunday, I spent the whole day working with a program called "Windows Movie Maker". I never had messed with it before. I took pictures from the wedding day (getting ready, wedding and reception) and added captions and animation and made it into a movie. I was able to bring in the songs from their wedding to play during the movie. When you burn it to a DVD, it is just like a DVD you have purchased. You put it in the DVD and the screen comes up with a picture and the movie title, play button and selection button. What fun.

Here are some pictures.

Bride with her papa - The Bride - My husband walking her down the isle - Our family

Super Vest

My daughter has a yorkie. When it gets cold, he is cold all the time. When it is hot, he is miserable. I make him little vests with fleece on the inside and cotton on top, for the winter. Well I decided to make him one for cooling. I only used cotton, and then added pellets inside. I figured if it worked to make neck coolers for us, it would work in his vest. You soak the vest in water for a few moments and the pellets expand. I used superman fabric and put a little red cape on in.

Did not have him here to model it. I put it on my cat. I don't think she was very happy.

Baby's and weddings

Well a busy couple of weeks, was had.

Last week my fourth grandchild was born. A girl. So now we have two of each. Here is our little Rileigh.

I also became a great Aunt again this week. Wow.

Last week I also finished up physical therapy. Went for a followup with the surgeon and he said I am doing fine and don't need to go back to see him. Was told to keep up those exercises to keep improving. I still have inflammation across my lower back and they said this will take probably 6 months to heal. Appears that my line of business slows down my healing. I find that I can't quilt for long periods of time yet. I get kind of frustrated.

This week it was more wedding preparations. My daughter loves frogs, so when my husband saw these bobble head frogs he had to get them. He painted them in colors that would go with their decorations and made a top hat for the groom one. I then made a little tiara and veil for the bride. I even gave her belly button bling.

My daughter does not like anything girly, and has made comments about things I have made for her cousins, sister-in-laws, and sisters wedding, so I was not sure about some things. But since she loved the garters I decided to make her wedding hanky anyway. I did not make it frilly. I tea dyed it so it would not be white and then crochet the edging in a thread that was colored like camo fabric. I then made her card with colors to match. I was worried, but she loved it.

Wedding Preperations

Well I have not been blogging for awhile. Busy, Busy!

Our youngest daughter is getting married in August. They have been together for 7 years, and we thought this would never happen. But they announced their engagement, and then we had 6 weeks to plan it all.

First thing we did was go looking for her dress. Both of our men figured we would come back bald and one of us dead. We don't tend to agree on much. It was a miracle. First dress at first store. It is beautiful. We did not buy it then and there, as she decided to try on a few more. She then found another she liked also. So they took pictures of her in both and emailed them to me. She wanted to find out what my husband thought before we purchased it. Her and I were leaning towards the first one. My hubby picked the first one also. One thing down.

Now I have been making a few things for the wedding. It is going to be simple and outdoor. They like the camo stuff, so I have added that into things I have made.

Here is a picture of garters I have made. One to keep and one to through. I have also made luminaries that will go on the tables. They are also into motorcycles and Chinese symbols. This one is the symbol for love.

Better, Bored and Tatting

Well it has been 4 weeks today since my back surgery. Getting better each day. Last weeks MRI showed some scaring might be causing the problem. I go to see the surgeon tomorrow.

I am getting kind of antsy. I am tired of not being able to do much of anything. I have not quilted for 4 weeks, and don't know yet when they will let me start again.

I have been tatting and knitting. Here is a picture of what tatting I have been working on. I am tatting the angels to give to the nurses who took care of me at the hospital. They were so sweet and caring. I made one of Ruth's new butterflies, but could not do the special stitch on the wing. Another Teapot from Martha's book. Jon's new Mother's day Heart (had trouble with the picots. Also, I tatted Wally's Butterfly.

I finally made all my Thank you cards. These I am giving to the ladies who brought food for my hubby and I after my surgery. Also, for those who sent flowers. In the days of recycling, I have made a matching little strip of paper, with one of the tiles on top. This is what I wrote my message to them on and then stuck in the card. (The pink color you see is just a piece of paper I put behind the slip and card to make the slip show). I did not write on the envelope and so told them that this was so they could use the card to send to someone else. They loved the idea. The artwork that I use to make the teabag folding cards is from Ruby Burns http://pages.prodigy.net/rubyburns/index.html. I have purchased several of her sets and love making cards from them.

Surgery and Tatting

Well I had my surgery 2 weeks ago today. I am getting better day by day. The first week was a nightmare. I ended up with the flu and sinus trouble. The flu flared up the back and my nerve down my leg is giving me trouble. But I am better and able to walk at a good clip.

I am not aloud to do much of anything except walking, so I have been doing lots of reading and tatting. I have gotten hooked on yarnplayers hand died threads. I make the rose teapot from Martha Ess's new book Tea is for tatting. I gave it to a friend of mine, to thank her for bringing her quilts to our quilt guild and doing a talk and show and tell.

Here I made two of Yarnplayer's crosses. I used her hand died thread for the rose and then DMC in cream for the cross. I put black ribbon through the loop on one of them and attached it to the envelope of a wedding card.

I also made this teapot bookmark from Martha's book. I used a variegated Altin Basak.

I am currently working on another rose teapot using a Yarnplayer hand died in blue white and yellow. I love that pattern and that thread.

Been Awhile

I have been busy getting quilts done, and managing the pain from my back situation.

Saw a specialist and it has been determined that I should have back surgery. So that has been scheduled, some of my customers and the quilt shops have been notified. I will try to get done the quilts that are in the house before the surgery. I won't be able to quilt for up to 2 months after the surgery.

I will have lots of down time to get UFOs done. Some tatting, knitting, and finish hand quilting a quilt that I started many many years ago. I also purchased some new Machine quilting tools and training DVDs for new techniques. I will have lots of time to practice drawing the designs. Practice practice practice.

Here is a sneak peek at a show quilt I am quilting for my talented friend Sharon.

Making Jewelry

I have been attending a women's bible study called Captivating. During this bible study, I longed to make something......with the words captivating. I searched the web for jewelry findings that said captivating. I found nothing out there. I then discovered some online tutorials for making your own pendents with pictures, glass tiles, scrabble tiles & diamond glaze.

The first one I made was with the glass tile. I loved the colors and the look from my copy of Captivating. So I scanned in the cover and created my necklace. It is the one with the blues and purple. My friend who is co-teaching the bible study, loved it. She thought they would be great for all the women in the study. She wanted one, but more in the colors she would wear. So in my graphics program, I designed hers. She loves scrabble, so I made hers with a scrabble tile that has the initial of her first name on the back. To learn more about the book "Captivating" http://www.ransomedheart.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=43

Next I made a necklace for my sister. I used a glass tile and a picture of her and her 2 daughters and her granddaughter. Then one of just her granddaughter on a scrabble tile with her initial. The picture is not very clear, but in person the pieces are very clear.

These are so fun and easy.

Quilting for Auction

7 local Churches, different denominations, are all going on a mission trip together. It is amazing. Sunday a friend and I started talking about the auction that is coming up this Sunday. We decided to make a quilt for it. So we started it Sunday night, during the Super Bowl. Yesterday I quilted it and sewed the binding to the front. Last night we had our annual business meeting and dinner at church. I brought it with me and 3 of us sewed the binding to the back during the meeting. I finished up the binding this morning and it is now ready to go. The pattern is the disappearing 9-patch. It is so easy and so fun.

Tatting I have done lately

This first pattern is by Jon Yusoff. I am in a women's bible study called "Captivating" I thought this design fit the study. I used a variegated Altin Basak. Jon site http://tatsaway-patterns.blogspot.com/2009/01/hearts-entwinedcrowning-hearts.html

This next design is also by Jon called "Quantiesque' Snowflake. I used Altin Basak again. My favorite thread. The red and then the silver and silver metallic. http://tatsaway-patterns.blogspot.com/2008/12/quantiesque-snowflake.html

A little tatting thrown in

Well most of my time is spent quilting and working on the house, but did manage to get in a little tatting. Here is a heart called "Paw Prints on my Heart". I saw this design when Gina had done it, and ordered the pattern. I have a friend who lost 2 cats this fall. Old age problems. One was orange, and I did not have orange thread, so I died some. Not the right way, but gets the end results. The other cat was grey, so I have one more to do.

Using Recycled Materials

Well I love to use the fabric samples, from the furniture store. They are great for making all kinds of things. I have used them to make and sell Check book covers, small purse Kleenex covers, etc. Doing a little of the green thing. Before Christmas, I got ready for my quilt guild gift exchange. I thought about making a gift bag out of the sample fabric. Then it would be reusable. So I played around. I cut the fabric and then embroidered the snowflakes. Then I started sewing it together. I decided to create the folds in it, so it would fold up easy like a paper bag. I love it and plan to make more.

Then my mom was talking about wine bags, so again I played around. Got ideas from others online and here are three of the bags I made.

Busy December, Quilting, Tatting, Sewing, Cleaning

Boy, did I have a busy December. Besides my business being very busy, I was trying to clean out my house, make gifts, and lots and lots of snow.

Here are some of the gifts I made for my family.
1st, I had gone to the bead stampede, and saw these wonderful crystals. They look different, depending the color you are wearing. I decided to make necklaces for my mom, sister, s-i-l, grandmother, & myself. I spent the day at our local bead shop, and the owner helped me pick out beads to go with it. We used Czech glass and Swarovski crystals. I sat there and counted and out and strung the 5 necklaces. She finished them off with the hooks and chains. Here is some pictures of the crystals on different colors and one of the finished necklaces on white and then on black.

I also made a quilted bag for my mom. The pattern is by Debra Geissler. Her website is at http://www.debrageissler.com/ . She has wonderful designs for quilters. I have purchased many to use in my quilting business. I do not have a computerized quilting machine, so I just quilted each piece freehand. Her pattern for the bag, has pockets on the front and the back, but I decided to only put it on the front. The inside pockets are done on both sides of the inside, but I only put them on the back. Here is a picture of the front, you can go to my webshots http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/225606433DdgiXj and see the sides, bottom and inside.

When I went to a quilt show in October, I found this pattern called Freedom. I immediately thought of my dad. It fit him perfectly. He is a Christian, a chaplain, a cowboy and patriotic. He also served in Army. So this was my Christmas present to him.

My son had his birthday this week. He loves those books about a dragon. Eragon and the rest of the series. I decided to tat him Anne Bruvold's Flying Minor Norwegian Dragons