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

Did you say snow?

Well it has been snowing on and off since last Fri night. Stopped on Mon and hit again Tue evening and yesterday. On Sat. I took a picture of my bike in the back yard. Today I took another. Look at the difference in the amount of snow.