Garlands

I have made a few garlands the last few days and they are in the store. I am still making Valentine's and Thanksgiving; then I will go on to Halloween and Mother's Day. Those hearts for the Valentine one are taking me a little bit more time to make. All of the garlands are a little longer than 2 yards a piece.

Currently there are:

Patriotic (One)

St. Patrick's day ( seven)

Easter ( one)

Christmas (one)

Christmas (one)

Christmas (one)

Baby Boy baby shower (two)

Winter Quilt block swap at MJF

This is a swap that was over at MJF last month. I haven't decided if this is one or two quilts because there are two color schemes happening: a winter one, which is white and blue (snow men and ice), and the other is red, white and green (Christmas). Since I am still waiting on one set and for me to embroider 17 snowmen, more details on this below. I might wait on that decision for now.

Sheryl Lynn's Blocks (sewgirlie)

Tammy's blocks

jessica's blocks (smoothiejuice)

Camille's blocks

Cheryl's blocks

Creatmyworld's blocks (Beth)

Khartquilt's blocks (Kathlen)

Grace's blocks (Katmom's)

Denise's blocks (levisgrammy)

Linda's blocks ( yarnmamma)

corrinne's blocks

Corrine's came all the way from Kuwait where she is in the service.

Kathy's blocks (Ktknits). I'm waiting on those still; because she had some issues in her life, I am good on waiting for them to arrive.

Wendy's blocks (sunshine)

I was going to do two sets of embroidered blocks but ran out of time, so I embroidered and pieced blocks. The snowmen were to be the second set, but that never got swapped so I have 17 of these drawn. I might use them as filler blocks between the other blocks. That is, once I get them embroidered. I also have one more tree to embroider as well; 3/4ths of a tree is more correct.

Jacket number 2 for child number 3

Yes, I need to make another jacket; this one is for the butterfly-princess daughter of mine. Same problem as the last dress: no sleeves. She has been wearing a little white jacket with it, but the jacket looks more Easter- like and is bothering me. I want it to look more winter and to be warmer.

The previous dress, with the cream jacket, the ladybug princess was happy with. She wore it to church yesterday. Prior she wore a little caplet with it that had a spring feel to it . This was before I made the jacket; it just wasn't warm and didn't cover well.

I figured if I used wine or black it would be too heavy a color for a little girl of six years. This will make it a little brighter, plus I can place wine ribbon roses on it to add some of the color of the dress into the jacket. I am going to make a similar jacket to the last one. Still don't have a pattern, but it was simple enough the first time; I don't think I need one.

The details on bottom of dress: the sequins seem to shin a little green, thus the green I am using in the jacket.

WIP for my middle daughter

My middle daughter's Christmas gift. She can't wear it because it has no sleeves, and she's a very modest child. Which I am very happy about. So, of course, the question of "Mae, please make a jacket".

I started to make a shrug this morning, but I just didn't like the way the pattern was working out. Plus, I didn't think it would cover her in a way she would be comfortable with. SO I frogged that piece.

Then I just started to crochet without a pattern, and this isn't finished yet. It still needs the all important sleeves. But, even as it currently stands, it covers more of her than the top of the dress did.

Could someone explain to me why stores in Utah, where there is snow, don't put sleeves on Christmas dresses to keep little girls warmer? I would think it common sense that, "oh my, it is cold and there is snow out -- maybe sleeves would be good on the clothing for this region." Oh well, I know how to crochet and with a little bit of chenille and two ribbon roses, a cute jacket can be made.

I debated on adding a silver thread to the crochet to make it match the skirt portion of the dress more. The more I thought about it, the more I thought it a bad idea. Chenille is so soft, and metallic threads are so rough and scratchy. Why make a little girl itchy in her clothes when she could have warm fuzzy instead. So, no silver. Not bad for only one mornings work and no pattern

Update: finished it Saturday night. I am thinking it might need buttons or some sort of closure; what do you think?

I know Christmas is over but....

I still want to have fun with it and listen to holiday music. I have never made an ornament wreath before. I have been collecting ornaments for two years to make a real cool one I hope it will be cool, anyway. I decided I had to put all the ornaments on my tree first, so that is what I did this year. Next year I hope to make a wreath, or two, or more. To get me inspired, I started this group on flickr. Feel free to check them out or join, if you so desire, and if you know of any tutorials, I am looking for some so I can have a good idea of what to do before I make it.

The above photos are all ones from the pool; there are many more cool ones in the pool. Go check it out and leave nice comments for the people who had fun making these.

Store up-date: lots of new hats and scarves in store.

Cookie Cutters

I know Christmas is over, but I just wanted to show this ginger bread cookie house that is on sale at Williams and Sonoma. I showed one at Halloween that I got from them; I just think these things are so cool. Maybe in time if I get enough of these types of things I can make a whole holiday-themed village because I can use these for other holidays just by changing the frosting color and candies and not using certain parts of the kits. Plus, with the price of pre-baked kits, this is cheaper and you get to spend more time with your kids while making it. My husband let me ordered this right after Christmas when it went on sale as my Christmas gift .

I don't have it yet, but I will get to use it next year. It will be cute with the sled my sister bought me last year, pictured below, from this same company.

Other cool 3d cookie cutters I found:

here
here
here

Christmas gifts ...

This is what my children made for each other when they had 1 day each in my studio to make what ever they wanted.

From the oldest daughter to her two sisters:

She is 10 and designed the butterfly herself and the scripture cover for both of her sisters. Butterfly, of course, is for the sister with the butterfly room. The lady bug on the scripture cover is because it is for the sister with the lady bug bedroom.

From the youngest daughter to her two sisters:

She wanted both of her sisters to have a teddy bear that could fit in their hands and be different (thus one is standing and one sitting). She thought they might fight over whose was who's if they looked the same.

From the middle daughter to her two sisters:

My youngest daughter wanted a ballerina for Christmas (hence the polka dot tutus on the red bears she gave); it's also the reason this sister made her a ballerina bear. Bear is 24 inches tall.

She wanted both to have bears so this is the one for the older sister.

Cool in-laws

My in-laws, one of which edits this blog for me, got me some real cool Christmas gifts. If you have read this blog for a while you know I like old fashioned tin eggs and have been looking for them for awhile. My mother-in-law, the dear she is, gave me 2 dozen eggs for Christmas to add to my collection. It was real cute: she put them inside of egg creates to give them to me. At first I was "what is this?" when I saw the side of the egg boxes. Then, when I flipped it over and saw the top of the box, I could see the tin eggs inside! So cool, to say the least. My MIL started looking for these back in March when I posted about them. I think she found them on E bay. When they showed up at her house after my birthday and after Easter she decided to hold on to them 'till Christmas.

I also got some real cool craft books from them for Christmas, too. I have been wanting these for awhile; just was waiting for the right time. I guess the right time came to someone else.

Merry Christmas

Arlington at Christmas

I think this is a lovely set of photos with great sentiment.

I don't know who took these photos; it wasn't me. My mother-in-law sent them to me in an email. If you know who took them, please leave a comment with that information so they can get credit. Thank you. Also, the statistics below came with the photos; I have not verified them.

"Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine. The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state."

Snow Fun

One of the members in an in line embroidery group I belong to submitted this link to the group. It is a site all about paper snowflakes. These can be used for exacto cut snowflakes, or wouldn't it be great to use as embroidery templates if you want to embroider a few snowflakes. Below are two examples from the site

Also my family went sledding today and last week. These are just some photos from the other day. My camera was in multi frame mode so this is all one sled ride. This was her first time ever sledding. Do you think she liked it even though she came down backwards the first time and hit a bump that she couldn't see? Actually caught her in the air after the bump pretty cool.

Mamae & daughter craft time

Yesterday, today, and tomorrow is craft time with my three daughters. Each daughter gets to think about what she wants made for her two sisters. Then each gets with me privately in the studio and we plan colors and fabrics and things of that sort; the youngest has all hers made as of 6:30 this morning. Next is the middle daughter and so on to the oldest. They each have thought out their gifts; let's just say for only one day in the studio each, they push me to the limit of getting things done. Even though I do most of the sewing and such (because they are not quiet there yet in ability) they are there in their imagination and ability to tell me exactly what they want, to the last detail. After Christmas I will post what all of them are having me make.

pattern for the three bears

I have been asked by several people what pattern I used to make the bears. Here it is: I bought it at a thrift store for fifty cents; it looks to be from the 1980's.

Information on outside of pattern:

• Called Dream Spinners
• #118 ... and The Three Bears
• By Great American Quilt Factory, Inc.
• makes size 17, 20 and 24 inch patterns
  

There are three on ebay right now for about 5 - 13 dollars, counting shipping.

Obviously, I added faces and such to the faceless bears in the pattern, and I didn't use the fabrics they used. But then, I never follow a pattern 100% because there is no fun in that.

This is a good pattern and the pieces are a good size, making them easy to use. Looking at the picture on the package, I would have never purchased it in a store because it just didn't interest me. I originally purchased it because it was in a bag that had lots of taffeta pieces in it that I thought I could use for a crazy quilt. That never happened; I ended up using some of those pieces in these bears (pink, blue, and cream for the ears and paws). So, I ended up actually using the fabric for what the original owner intended: a fabric bear, not a quilt. I only remembered this pattern when my children started talking about the bears. I think I have had it for 5 years, just sitting in a box not knowing what to do with it; but I saw that the pattern had potential.

For all those people that love birds help

These birds are roaming my yard, quite often actually; about 13 of them. I haven't a clue what they are; if any one knows, please tell me because I think they are cool and want to know more about them.
Thanks! sunshine

Teddy Bear Hugs

Here is what the trees looked like right before all the teddy bears where removed from them.

The kids all get in lines going down the adjoining corridors from the central part of the school. Each bear is removed and passed down one of the long lines to the end of the hall with each person giving it a hug goodbye. then they are packed up into bags and taken to the shelter.

Here the bear is so big that the Kindergärtners are having a fun but hard time passing it down the line.

Part 26: The reason for the Season Ornament

Supplies:

• wood peg people (these can be found at places like Michael's, Roberts or other hobby stores as unpainted wood)
  
• paint / brushes
• muslin
• glue dots
  
• needle/ thread
• pearl cotton embroidery thread size 5

Order of events:

1. Paint wood people.
2. Cut muslin ruffly 4 inches by 3; a little bigger or smaller is fine, too (make according to your little wood people).
3. Use glue dots to hold fabric in place. Black dots represent placement of glue dots. Follow pictures for directions in placement of glue dots and folds. There is also a glue dot on the back of Baby Jesus's head and back to hold him to the cloth.
   
   
4. Stitch side up.
5. Wrap with embroidery thread and tie at back of neck and about 2 inches higher on string to form hanger. Done.

This is the very last ornament and the Reason for this season: the birth of baby Jesus. I will do the drawing on Dec 24, Christmas Eve. So you have 'till that day to add a comment to each of the advent calendar posts (all 29, including this one). Every post can have an entry from you on it. Happy Holidays and good luck to all!

Charlie Brown Hat Tree

charlie brown hat tree, originally uploaded by sunshine's creations.

The kids in the class called this the Charlie brown tree because of its small size. These same kids have been working on making hats to give to a charity. I have been helping them with learning how, and fixing mistakes, and such. All the hats were not on the tree at the time of this photo. Grand total is 118, but I think the teacher said she was going to make 2 more for an even 120; not bad for 4th graders who only started this project 1 1/2 weeks ago and didn't have a clue how to use a hat loom. Also who could only work on them in class when they had all their homework done, and had to work silently. Go kids!!

Bear number three is done

Well, bear number three is done and she is sleepy from staying awake all night. But she does have a lot of heart.

Part 25: Sequins and pins Ornament

Supplies:

• small Styrofoam ball
• sequins
• embroidery thread for hanger
• scissors to cut embroidery thread
• short pins

Order of events:

1. Place pin inside of sequin hole and start placing on ball with a little over lapping; continue this for awhile.
2. Then, add a sequin to a pin and the embroidery thread that has been tied into a loop and place in ball. Make sure subsequent sequins cover thread and overlap on all sides of this sequin to hold it in place.
3. Continue covering ball with sequins 'till no more Styrofoam shows. This gets harder at the end because so many pins are inside the ball. That is why it is best to use short pins because they take up less space inside the ball.
4. Finished; hang on tree.
   

One more ornament to go, then this is done and we have the drawing.

Teddy Bear 2

Well, the second bear is done. My Lady Bug daughter wanted a Winnie the Pooh color bear, but she said it had to have a ballerina skirt. So this is it. She calls it Pooh's Mom. This bear goes to a different school than the other two do.

This bear will reside at the local fire station so, when firemen find and help children who are in crises, they have a toy to give to them for the child to keep. I am very impressed with both schools for doing this.

One school is much smaller than the other, probably only 40 to 50 students in the whole school; that is the school this one goes to. The other has K - 9 and about 60 or more kids in each grade level, so it will of course have more bears, but both in my opinion are working towards great goals of teaching charity to those who attend their schools.

One and two down; number three to go, and these are due tomorrow. Yikes! Burn the midnight oil tonight.