Happy Halloween

500th post / Prize Give Away

Well, I have come to another one of these mile stones and hit my 500th post with this entry. It is interesting how fast these things happen. I think next time I will do like the 750 post or something as 100 posts doesn't seem that far apart. Who knows, I may do this again at the 600th post. Ether way I am having a drawing now. Leave a comment on this post and how to reach you since blogger isn't very helpful that way. Then on November 9th (next Friday) I will have the drawing for a surprise gift give away.

The photo has nothing to do with this post. I am not giving the dolls away. The two dolls on the right where made by a friend of mine, Luzy on the MJF Forum. The other one was given to me when I was a little girl by my Vavo. There is actually another witch sitting on this chair, but I sort of cut most of her out of the photo; she is also a gift from my Vavo.

I also found out my old missionary companion has a blog now showing off her paintings. If you want to check it out, go here.

Weave-it loom / Windowpane lace

Over on ellominator blog there is a wal happening (wal = weave along). Week 1 is windowpane lace pattern. I did two: one in blue and one in pink. Both are Virgin wool; the blue is DMC tapestry wool color 7318, the pink wool one is Bucilla Persian needlepoint & crewel wool color was accidentally left of the wrapper so I don't know what color it is other than pink.

suzyhomemakers mini quilt in her home

Suzyhomemaker over at MJF sent me a picture of what my quilt looks like on her kitchen wall. This is the photo she took. I like the color of her walls; it's very pretty. I hope she is doing well and that this cheers her up in fighting her cancer.

Happy Early Halloween

Wishing every one a safe Halloween. Have fun with your little Witches, Spooks and Goblins.

Some of the decorations on my Halloween tree.

More on Lace Hunt

I have this book called " The Batsford Book of Crochet" by Ann Sterns isbn 0-7134-33124 publish year 1981. This is a book made in London, so the stitches are in the European style not the American style. But that is fine, I know both; just one stitch different by name. There is a little bit in this book on Oya laces on pages 144-155 and one color picture in the color plate section of a piece of needle lace that is 150 years old. You can definitely tell this is a 1980's book ,but that is fine. I am not trying to design clothing the way they show in this book; I just want the skills to make Oya.

Center Medallion Complete

So the center medallion is complete. Now I have to stitch more yoyos and cut some more circles in a solid color for more boarders to go around the next round of this quilt and then stitch them into yoyos. Current yoyo count actually sewn into top is 409. There are still a few hundred not sewn into top, but I need the boarder pieces first.

Crafts and Family Time / Update

My kids are wanting to enter a Christmas Ornament /Decorated tree contest, so out came the crafts. So far, two are making quilled ornaments and one is working on Origami ornaments. I think they are going to have a lot of fun with this project, and they have almost two months till the deadline. So I can guess there will probably be lots of glue out for the next few weeks.

I have made a little bit of progress on the Halloween yoyo quilt.

Halloween YOYOs

Here is what has become of the Halloween yoyo swap over at MJF. I have started to make a lap blanket out of them. This will have more yoyos than the amount I swapped because I have made a lot more since the swap. I still have about 300 cut to stitch to add to the ones I already have made. Not sure how big this will end up, nor what the pattern will end up looking like. I am planning it out as I go, as always.

The photo above is of the back of the quilt because I am still stitching the bottom point on. I work from the back of the project when I am adding yoyos to the blanket; it is easier for me. 121 yoyos thus far on the quilt, about 300 more made, and 400 more cut.

Update:
Front of quilt thus far, because it is still growing.

Head Start on Christmas Journey

If you want to do the "Journey" from last year, I thought I would post this now so people could plan to take the journey. Follow the link and read all posts and all extra instructions in the following links on the new pages.

Another Book on Needle Lace

The hunt continues. Here is another book I have on needle lace. This is Mediterranean Knotted Lace By Elena Dickson isbn 1-86351-346-9.

A lovely book, it shows how to do needle stitches, but it was intended to make doilies more than edgings. Yes, I can use the techniques, but I wanted to start off making the lace edgings I like so much. I am not interested in doilies so much, but the lace that dangles with decorative lace flowers that blow in a soft breeze -- that is the look I want. I know the books I want to buy, but they are out of my price range at the moment.

Block of the month from Fairbanksfancygoods

Fairbanksfancygoods went a little overboard on making blocks for "The Block Of the Month" swaps on flickr. She had more blocks than swap partners, so I agreed to swap for her overages. She was so sweet and sent me extras to boot.

She sent the two blocks. If you want to make these blocks, follow links on names of blocks to the tutorials
Pinwheel
Disappearing Nine PatchPlus a tape measure she had decorated. Then a handmade needle case with supplies included and one blank page to fill.Lastly, she sent fabric; I am trying to figure out if she decorated it or if that is the original print.She is also sending these latter this month to me: this is her photo not mine.
Ditzy Donuts

25 motif challenge cont..

Here is the next little bit of this challenge; it's not as big as the other items I have done. I really haven't had much time to work on this or the butterfly room as of late, so I combined the two. Here are two butterflies that I tatted out of antique size 10 crochet thread. These are actually the size of quarters; I just took my photo in macro mode so these look much bigger than they are. Together I will call them item 11 for the challenge.

Lace Hunt Continues

Still looking for lace patterns. So I went looking through my books, and I already have these books on Armenian lace because I went looking a few years back on this subject, too. All mine are on the needle lace version of the lace; I am also looking for the beaded and crochet and tatted versions. I think I have a few more books around here, too, but I think they may still be boxed up. The top two I think are the same book; I can't find the top left one right now. I think they are just different editions and didn't realize that when I bought them. The PieceWork is the July / August 1996 edition. I think there is another PieceWork with this type of lace, or so I have been told. The nice person who said this is checking her books; if so, I may order that one too the more references the better. The middle left book I know I have, but it is one of those I can't find at the moment.

update
The bottom left book is the other PieceWork magazine that has this type of lace in it.

Just so everyone knows, I do know that Turkish lace and Armenian lace are different and not the same. I am intereseted in both of them because they give a similar look and feel, and I am saddened about how hard it is to find this information. Because when I do have this much trouble, it usually means it is a dying art form and makes me want to learn about it all the more and sooner, so if any one can help me I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks Sunshine

Turkish lace hunt HELP PLEASE!!!

Photos on this page are from the Turkey set by ralmonline on flickr so please check out her photos on flickr

I am on a search for Turkish and Armenian Lace books. I am specifically looking for pattern books on Oya, Oyasi and Oyalari lace, sometimes called Bebilla lace in Greece. This can be beaded, crochet, knotted, or tatted patterns; it comes in all those styles, and I do make those types of laces. So if anyone can help me, I would appreciate it. For all I know the page links I have given here may say how to get pattern books but, since I can't read that language, I do not know. Any help would be appreciated.
examples
here
here
here
here
here
here
Story about an artist in Idaho

Swedish Weave Part 2

A long time back I showed the two Swedish weave blankets my Mother-in-law made for my oldest and youngest daughters. Over the summer she gave one to my middle daughter for her 8th birthday. I just realized I have never shown it. She sleeps with it every night so it may not be the cleanest in this photo, but we love it and she, my daughter, defiatly does. Some day I plan on making one for myself, but it hasn't happened yet. Incase you have never seen this type of weaving, you buy Monks cloth and weave into the weave of the cloth forming patterns with yarn. It is very similar to huck weaving, but that is done on a smaller weave for table cloths and things of that sort.

My daughter's yoyos

ck/ my daughter's yoyos, originally uploaded by sunshine's creations.

My daughter has made these for the swap we are in for Christmas yoyo's. She is using a clover tool to make circles and hearts; the circle ones are the size of a USA dime. She is having fun, and I think she will go well beyond the fifty she is signed up for. Currently our goal is to make a garland, but that may change.

Yoyo's Assembly Patterns

Below are the two types of layout for yoyo's that I use when making a blanket, doily, pillow...

The first is the weaker of the two, but goes together with fewer yoyo's. The reason it is a weaker layout is because of the bigger holes between the yoyos. Each yoyo is stitched to only 4 other yoyos.

The second is the stronger blanket out of the two layouts shown. Each yoyo is stitched to 6 other yoyos and the holes between the yoyos are smaller. However, it takes more yoyos to cover the same area.

Cool Cookie Cutters

Just one of those things I will add to my list of wants, as if it wasn't long enough as is. Have you checked out William Sonoma's Web site lately? They have these cool stand up cookie cutters. They are on sale at the moment; I am so thinking of getting these but will hold off for awhile. I have a kid who is born right around Halloween time, and she loves all things Halloween. I think this would be so cool to have for birthday party fun and such. The photos in this post are not mine; they are from William Sonoma. I have made the pictures links. So, if you want to check them out or order them for yourself, just click on the photos.

Yoyo Bench Cover

yoyo bench cover has grown, originally uploaded by sunshine's creations.

This runner has grown by 10 rows. The nice thing about yoyo afghans is that you can use them while they grow bigger. In time, this will end up a table cover, then a sofa blanket, then a twin- bed blanket, and probably get all the way to King-bed size. For now, it makes a lovely bench cover. The template used for these yoyos is a standard size cd, if you care to make one. A lot of the yoyos in this runner I received as gifts from yoyo swaps.

Fall Quilt Block Swap at MJF

List of swappers:

1. Sewgirlie
2. Suzyhomemaker
3. carol Sue
4. cinnamongirl, from whom I have four.
5. Mkmomus
6. jcbtxstars
7. Katmom
8. Smoothijuice
9. Khartquilt
10. Cheryl
11. Sunshine (twice): Mine are not pictured; because I made them for everyone else but not myself, I made traditional nine patch. Because I signed up twice, I have two from every one except Cinnamongirl; I have 4 from her because she signed up twice, too.
    
12. Cinnamongirl (twice: 4 blocks)
13. Ktknits
    

This is not my layout; this is just every block I received. This is too uniform for me. I will make one block for myself and do a 5 by 5 layout

Other Blogs I Post On

Here are two other blogs that I post on, in case you wanted to check them out. These two blogs are extreme opposites of each other, so be prepared for that.
http://beeswithoutborders.wordpress.com/
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/

Pink For a cure

Peony, originally uploaded by sunshine's creations.

If you belong to flickr and you have pink photos, add them to the Passionately Pink for the Cure group. I added 47 photos today I wish I had more, but since it is not my favorite color, that is more than I thought I would be able to add. I am looking for things pink to add this month. I am sure most of us know someone who has had this or will have this. Prepare now to help your loved ones before you find out they have this; add as many pictures as you can in pink.

http://flickr.com/groups/passionatelypinkforthecure/pool/

This text taken from the text directly from the group I did not write it but thought it important to post.

"About Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like Passionately Pink for the Cure, they have invested nearly $1 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.
Added by originalmulli.

Passionately Pink for the Cure is a grassroots fundraising and awareness program of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the global leader in the breast cancer movement.

What makes you passionate for the cure?

Showcase your passion for the cure by uploading passionately pink photos to help raise vital funds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Share photos in honor of a survivor, in memory of a loved one, to celebrate Passionately Pink for the Cure events. Or simply share a pink photo that inspires others to rally around the cause.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Yahoo! will donate $1 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, for each pink photo added to this Group from October 1-31, 2007 up to $50,000! This donation will be used to fund breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment programs.

Pick your Pink. Play Your Part. End Breast Cancer. "

• National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• National Cancer Institute
• The Susan G. Komen Foundation
• Breastcancer.org
• Pink for October

Morning Sky

This was the sky line yesterday at about 7 am on the way to Salt Lake City. I thought it a very pretty morning. I am not sure why, but I have a thing for sky lines.

5 down 31 to go

Made two more trees over the weekend. These are different color thread than the last since they are all going to be in different quilts. I thought it might be good to make them a little different so I don't go insane making so many identical things.

Salt Lake City Temple and Surrounding Area

1. Reflecting pool, 2. Brigham Young Monument, 3. Autumnal tree on temple square, 4. MoTab

Went to conference yesterday in Salt Lake City. Such pretty things to see on the way to and from the Conference Center. Here are just a few for you to see. Top two pictures are The Assembly Hall on Temple square. Next is the reflecting pool, and fall tree on temple square and the Brigham Young Monument, and the Mo Tab Choir below is the Salt Lake Temple.

1. salt lake city temple, 2. salt lake city temple, 3. Salt Lake temple, 4. Salt Lake temple

3 down 33 to go

I joined a winter quilt swap at MJF. I signed up twice, which equals 32 blocks, plus I have 4 others I am swapping with other people for a total of 36 blocks to be embroidered in less than one month. That is more than one block embroidered a day; I must have been crazy to do this to myself. But here we go. I am embroidering the trees and will leave them blank so the person getting them can decorate them or leave them plain. I am also doing snowmen; I haven't started embroidering them yet, even though I have all the blocks drawn for the snowmen and the trees too, for that matter. The blocks all equal 12 1/2 inches square except for the butterfly; it is 8 1/2 inches square and one other that I haven't drawn yet is also 8 1/2 inches. I will post these as I get them made. Might be boring to see so many or the same block, but nice to document my progress. This butterfly is one of the patterns I am also using in the butterfly room, too. Tree pattern is actually a quilting pattern that I modified for embroidery line work. That I modified with the help of my computer to make it about 10 inches tall instead of 7 inches.

Halloween swap part 2 at MJF

If you missed part 1, go here.

Ktknits swap 2: Recipe cards and gift made of fall/Halloween imitation nuts with scent pellets.

Alee swap 2: Milk bath; comes in the plastic bag with hearts. But I had to put some into a bottle I got from Alee a while back just because the bottle has the name Sunshine on it and is from my home state.Sunshine/daughter swap 2: Knitted boa scarves made on Mattel hand-crank knitting machine. The second item is handmade daisies and die-cut shapes that we punched out. All that is needed is for the recipient to make some yoyos and add these and a few buttons and you have a cute Halloween garland. Or they could make a cute pin or anything else they can think of. Note each kit is a little: different colors, types and amount of what is in it. Mkmomus swap 2: Hand-painted door hanger with witch and pumpkin candles.AliShuShu swap 2: Picture frame magnets for refrigerator, post it notes, and a Halloween decorative hanger.
naturecraft swap 2: Decorative fabric in hoops to hang, pumpkin stickers, handmade holiday cards.
Mommom swap 2: Hand-painted wood magnets and hand-stamped sachets.createmyworld swap 2: Hand-made pumpkin pins.
botanical bath swap 2: Hand-made midnight sugar lotion.
Smoothiejuice swap 2: Hand-painted wood picture frames.

In my double hoop

I'm working on some embroidery blocks for a few swaps. The tree one is for a Christmas quilt block swap and the other one is for a just-for-fun, one-on- one embroidery block swap. This hoop can hold two projects at the same time and currently is.

Playing with colors

I have had a lavender blog for a while, then I tried orange and yellow the last few days, but none worked for me. So I figured I would change to my favorite color -- black. Wondering if it is too dark for everyone in blog land. I am really liking it; to me it makes the colors in the photos pop out more. What does everyone else think?

If you are wondering what the picture has to do with this post, nothing. I had to make about 10 pounds of salt dough the other day so my daughter's class could make volcanoes; this is hers. Yes, my children wear a school uniform; I had a few emails asking about that.

Recipe for Salt dough

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1/4 cup salt
• food coloring ( I use frosting paste made by Wilton but use what you have or like best)

Mix all ingredients, adding food coloring last ( I do this when kneading the dough). Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from the pan and knead until blended. Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled. Will last for a long time if stored well.

Geography Day Report on Brazil

Two of my daughters did a report together for their school on September 27 for their school's geography day. They decided to do it on Brazil since their Pai had lived there for two years of his life. For their finales they sang acapella and solo happy birthday in Portuguese. Pretty amazing since their Mae is Portuguese and their Pai isn't, and he can speak Portuguese and I can't. Since our children were babies he has always talked to them in Portuguese; they understand what he is saying to them, but the funny part is that they always translate it in their heads to English and answer in English. I do this some, but for basic things like when my husband asks them questions or tells them to do something, I usually know what he is saying or the gist of it anyway.

The older of the two wasn't feeling very well that day, but I think she did a great job any way. The reports were given separately, but they made the poster that is in the backdrop of these photos together.

Way too tired.... but the kids aren't