Chủ Nhật, 30 tháng 6, 2013

Updates and Stash Cleaning


I thought I'd take this opportunity to do as promised and update you all on my progress sans-blog hops ... yes, I do still sew occasionally without a hop mission ... though a blog deadline does help!  {grin}

Remember my search for a chair? 
 After all of the very helpful comments my friends and readers posted on my April 21st post, I researched all suggestions and went onto Amazon.com and found this very comfortable task chair.  Knowing that I'm 5'8" with most of my height in my legs, I needed a chair that adjusted upwards.  I'm happy.  Thanks to all of you that commented ... you really helped!!

My dear friend Pamela had a birthday very recently and I made this for her.  Pamela is the proud grandmother of five grandchildren who call her "NanOct" ... a tie in to octopus and more love in her arms for her grandchildren, I wanted to make something special for her as she is special to so many.

If you look real close, you will notice an octopus.  Well, geez, do you have any idea how long I searched for octopus fabrics???  I did finally find this Salt Water Collection by Tula Pink in the Seaweed color. The mottled green "solid" is actually from a Patrick Lose line, though I don't have the exact name at this time.



I wanted something tasteful but something that would have meaning when she travels to see her family. 
Well, she loved it and I love her for her appreciation!!

Next, many of you may remember me posting on May 28th that I had a graduation quilt to finish.
Believe it or not, I really did finish it in time for the graduation ... only thing is we missed the graduation because first my daughters got sick, then one of my nieces got strep throat, then I got sick ....
da da dee dum .... you get the picture.

Well, I can finally share on the blog because this weekend my niece came down for orientation at University of Montana here in town and I was able to finally present her with her gift.


I used a mix of batiks and the Just Can't Cut It pattern.  It reminds me of chocolate, caramel and raspberries.  Leave it to me to be thinking of chocolate!!



Instead of labeling, I usually stitch the name and date info in my quilting since I quilt myself ... yes, even on my small, domestic machine ... no label to mysteriously disappear and quilt somehow becomes someone else's in a college dorm room :)
stitched with love, Aunt Wendy
May 2013
Congratulations on your Graduation
Cheyenne

I was going to list all of the following items on eBay, but then thought of all of you.  Perhaps some of you would be interest in any of these items and would like the opportunity to purchase before I post them on eBay:

1 yard plus 6 fat quarters -- fabric by
Kensington Studios for Quilting Treasures

TAKEN  The Morris Workshop 1872-1887 Barbara Brackman
Jelly Roll, Dessert Roll, 2 Charm Packs and  2 2/3 yds oakleaf  fabric

1 2/3 yd Blank Quilting Fabric
This is more teal-green than the blue photo shows.
2 yds Timeless Treasures Fabric
my girls have outgrown the dress pattern this was meant for.

2 yds  Benartex "At the Park" by Wilma Sanchez
 In the Fons and Porter Kids Quilts Summer 2009 edition, they have this Princess Pillow pattern for which I purchased these materials ... again, time, age,daughters' desires mean this is no longer on the "must do" list but I'm thinking it might be for someone else.  I only have one copy of the magazine, so cannot offer that for sale with the materials unless .... 
TAKEN  one panel,  1 1/3 yd  pink Princess toss and 1/2 yd dark pink
Fairy Princess fabric by designs by Leere for Clothworks 

one panel,  1 1/3 yd  purple Princess toss and 1/2 yd pink and purple
Fairy Princess fabric by designs by Leere for Clothworks 

If you find you might at all be interested in any of the above fabrics pictured, please email me, or leave me a comment so we can exchange information .... I will have to ask for shipping, but will do so at the least expensive rate possible .... best offer, really .... I know what the fabrics cost, but I also know that they do me no good sitting in my stash when someone else could be using them when I know I won't.

I'll give it a couple of weeks then post on eBay .... thanks for looking!!

And .... I finally went in and had a very over-due medical check-up ... 
go figure, I'm out of shape

hahahahahaha

Who knew!!!?????!!!

hahahahaha

Seriously .... I can't eat much better than I am trying,
I could get more sleep and am trying ...
really, it's the exercise thing .... REALLY!!!
hahahaha

So with that thought in mind, 
I went out and found this at a
local sporting goods re-sell shop:
Yes ... I did ride it this morning ... Day 1 towards goal ....
Check!

Now, since outside it's well on it's goal of reaching
98 degrees ...
{grin}
outside exercise is obviously ill-advised
{chuckle}
Sewing room here I come .... 
{grin}

I will see many of you again soon ... I've actually almost completed one of my  Ho Ho Ho Blog Hop items and starting on another .... and would you believe .... I've got some stuff in the works for Halloween stitching too ... 
always the Wicked Wendy!

Best wishes to all of you and thank you for visiting!





Thứ Bảy, 29 tháng 6, 2013

Follow My Blog with Bloglovin

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/2374647/?claim=yrckybvjh29">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Thứ Năm, 13 tháng 6, 2013

Bag of Sweetness ... Tammy Bag


Sweet Treats in my Tammy Bag!

When I first heard the story behind the Tammy bag,  
I knew I was in!  I too loved the Tammy movies ... 
they bring to my mind a time of innocence,
sweetness, and pure enjoyment ... 

Well, I chose my fabrics from my stash thinking
 these too would reflect those same feelings ... 
sweet pink and white gingham for the outside,
and for the inside a soft buttery yellow with
teeny purses tossed all over ...
 just plain fun :) 










You may notice that I've filled my sweet little bag with my sewing goodies ...
My daughters were home when I was taking these pictures, and
I now have demands to make another bag just like this for my 
eldest as she loves, loves, loves this bag. 

The pattern by Madame Samm was so very well 
done with pictures and instructions, I know I 
will have no troubles making another ...
and another after that.

However,  the real secret to my Tammy bag is 
what I really keep in it, 
without my daughters' knowing
{wink}


Well dang! ... they found my stash of goodies ... 
 

Alllllll gone!

I give my utmost thanks to Madame Samm for not only 
designing this marvelous Tammy Bag  
but for all of the work done in hosting this fun hop! 

I invite you to visit my fellow Tammy Creators posting
with me on this day and thank you for leaving your
sweet words of kindness along the way:

June 14th

Happy Hopping!!


Thứ Ba, 28 tháng 5, 2013

Sayin' it with Flowers ...


Pardon the dirt ... 
Oh, I'm not dishin' it ... 
but I've been shoveling it !!

Amid the stitching of flowers,
I've been planting them ...
Above is my "deck" garden ... looking west,
and below is my deck garden looking east.
I've got strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers,
green onions and flowers, lots and lots of flowers!


I also found time this past weekend to plant
ten bare-root rose bushes, and next up is a
row of poplars along the fence seen in the background.
Um ... next weekend maybe :)

However, today you are here to see flowers
 of a different sort, aren't you? 

Today I share with you my Lovely handbag
....I say lovely as in the material is Lovely by Sandy Gervais ...
I've had the material for quite some time, saving it for that
"something special" and when this hop was announced,
I knew this was the something special I wanted
to make.  What better than a Spring/Summer flower
handbag out of this Lovely material in the
Sweet Harmony handbag pattern by Amy Butler?
Well, my LQS friend thought it was pretty
neat too ... the day after I made it for me and this hop
it was decided it should be used as a shop sample ....
so ...
the following day ... I started again:

 ... the material used here
is Terrain by Kate Spain ...
well ... showed up to work with this beauty ....
and ...
NOT!!
This one's mine!!!

But, I did make another :
But this time, it was the tote ....
See the size difference?  Same pattern: 

Well, geez ... with all of that stitching,
you can imagine the threads and snips and bits
I had all over the floor, so ...

I decided I needed a 
handy-dandy thread catcher:


So, I made this little beauty of a thread catcher bag
and pin cushion ... pattern is The Abbey Bag
and the materials are just about all Me and My Sister Designs'
Ticklish line, though I probably threw in some others of theirs
I had as they have so many fun and bright flower prints.

So there you have it ... my creations for the Say It with Flowers
blog hop...  I'm so glad I got to participate with you fine 
hoppers again ... I perform well with deadlines ... would you say?

And speaking of deadlines, I have a graduation quilt to 
finish before Friday this week, which I started this past
weekend, so I guess I should get back to business.

If you are interested, I promise I will post pictures
of it when finished ... it's on the machine right now as
I'm in the middle of quilting it ... and if I posted it now, 
chances are my niece may see it before she should
{wink}  She turns 18 next week and graduates 
from high school this weekend ... I think that 
warrants a quilt, wouldn't you?

Please be sure to visit with our fellow
gardening bloggers today .... I'm positive
what they have blooming will be perfection
beyond compare:

Say it With Flowers
Wednesday, May 29th
Why Knot Kwilt  -- you are here!
Cheerleader Carol and Squad leader Madame ...
to each of you I give a bouquet of the sweetest
flowers to bloom in your heart as they do in mine.  
Thank you!

I leave you with one of my all time favorite sayings ... 
courtesy of Pinterest
as so well illustrated by Mary Engelbreit. 
It seems so fitting for this hop.

To each of you I give my sincere 
appreciation for your visit, 
and to every flower in my garden of life,
I give my undying love and gratitude!

Thank you!




Thứ Tư, 8 tháng 5, 2013

For the Birds ... My Tweet Day!


Thursday is my day for the "For the Birds" hop ... 
I am pleased to have you join me and my 
feathered friends ....

Did you know ...
that the first mention known of the Bluebird of Happiness
is in a play written in the early 20th century by Maurice
 Maeterlinck entitled L'Oiseau Bleu? 

Happiness, as the moral of the story imparts, 
comes from seeking rather than from finding.
Happiness comes from an unselfish life, 
without thought or motive of reward. 
 (Taken from The History of the Bluebird of Happiness
 at www.bluebirdofhappiness.net.)

Using Amy Bradley's Meet the Tweets Pattern, 
I made the Birdwatcher wall hanging:

I believe this birdie is waiting for 
the occupants to return home,
wouldn't you agree?

I seriously considered doing the Birdwatcher
in blue, but the green just seemed so happy
that I had to go with it, and besides,
green is one of my favorites, so it works
{smiles}

And, to go along with my Bluebird theme,
I used Amy Bradley's pattern again
to start this wall hanging:
Obviously, "start" is the operative word ...
I do need to do the stitching on it and
you can possibly see on this closer picture, 
that I have the stitching drawn in ...
progress! :)  I just didn't get all of it
done in time for our tweet hop ...
but never fear ...
I will have my Bluebirds of Happiness! 
in fact my daughters have each named
one of the birds for themselves, me, and
our dog Izzy.  Perfect!

I thank each of you sincerely for visiting today
and will do my utmost to respond quicker than
I have been lately ... I truly do appreciate the kind
words ... please never doubt that! 


Lined up to share with you today are my fellow
hoppers ... please be sure to flit on over to each of them
to share your kindness ... the bluebirds will be watching!


Thursday, May 9



Thank you Cheerleader Mary for your hard work in
keeping the flock flying in the same direction!
Thank you Madame for your delicious seeds of 
inspiration!  What a team!!

Until next we visit, best wishes,



most bird pictures on this post are 
courtesy of my Pinterest Board


Whatcha waitin' for? ... Get Hoppin! 

: