Happy Valentine's Day!

Well, it's 2/14/14 and it's 77 degrees here in New Mexico!  Our crocuses are blooming as well as some of our other bulbs.  So I just had to share a pic I made of a photo I took in our yard today.  Hopefully I'll be able to update my blog soon!  Been busy with art lessons and watercolor paintings!

Life is wonderful!  Hope to see you all soon!

Dream Pillow

May 2013
My dear little sister saw one of these and wanted a Dream Pillow of her own.  She said she'd even pay me to make her one!  Well, I decided to make her one for her birthday.  She liked it, but not sure about her hubby!  LOL!  The herbs are sleepy time herbs & not as "sweet" as some would like!  Here's some pics of the process:

First I readied the materials I'd use.

Then I trimmed the felt to size.

I used a disappearing ink pen to draw in the sun.

You may have to click on the pic to see it.

I stitched the outline of the sun.

Then added yellow rays to the sun.

Added some orange rays to the sun.

Then I sewed up 3 sides of the pillow.

Separated 7 different herbs and spices into wooden bowls.

Used my spoons from Turkmenistan to scoop herbs.

Here's a close up of the 7 herbs and spices I used.

The herbs and spices I used were chamomile flowers, 

lavender, patchouli leaf, cinnamon chunks, 

whole coriander, pink rose buds, and cloves.  

Do you know which is which in the pic?

I added some alpaca batting to the bottom edge & sides.

Then I added the herbs and spices.

Added more alpaca batting after hiding a couple shells

and some beach glass among the herbs & spices.

Sewed the top closed and the pillow was ready to mail

Hope you enjoyed this small tutorial!

Flannel Hearts WIP

Been working on some flannel hearts.  Want to sew & clip a bunch up before I throw them in the washer & dryer.  When they're done, the hemmed edges will be all curly.  Here's the process:

Make a template, cut out hearts, pin & sew hem

Sew hem

Stuff

Sew Opening Closed

Clip hemmed edges being careful not to cut stitching

One flannel heart done & ready to get curly

Now I just need to finish sewing up the rest

then wash & dry them to their curliness!  :)

Lavender Needle Felted Heart

I've been working off and on with this piece since June!  It's going to a very special person who is to be named maybe later!  :)

Here's some pics:

Sewing bag to needle felted heart

Back side filled with lavender

Front side & back side sewn together

And while I've been busy...

...DH got the loom & crochet bug!  

Here's some pics of what he's been doing.

Looming a hat for his auntie

Finished granny square lapghan for his auntie

Latch hooking

Back of latch hooked pillow

Front of latch hooked pillow

He looks sleepy!

DH with some of the loomed and crocheted items he made

DH trying on a scarf & showing his round loom

A HUGE granny square afghan he made himself

Wrapped up in his afghan

Granny square blanket & two hats for his great nephew

There are a BUNCH more hats & scarves he's made.  

I just picked a few to share!

I love living with a co-creator!

Creation Vacation!!

So, what have I been working on for 3 months?  Besides the other stuff you'll see on my blog, I've been making a book bag for a pal of mine.  (Actually it started as a cover but it morphed into a bag!)  It was her birthday, she retired & is travelling to Artfest in WA state.  So I hope she can use it.  And I hope she likes it!  Here's some pics of the process:

Baste & stuff block

Make a rolled edge around block

Randomly quilt block

Stitch blocks together

Deciding where to put blocks

Stitching on the hemp strap DH made for me

Strap & bag stitched closed

Latch hooking around base of strap

Adding a special shell from Kaua'i

Getting journal & card ready to go in bag

Finished front of bag

Finished back of bag

This bag is special to me & I hope to my pal.  All the blocks are made from fabrics we traded with each other.  So there's a little bit of both of us in this.  Plus the special loomed hemp strap my DH did and one block that another pal wanted to include.  

I had sworn I'd never make another quilted purse or cover, but then I saw this process in various books I have as well as on Teesha Moore's site.  You can see more of her site here.  This is the last year she will be at Artfest.  I also used other ideas from the books I had.  But I think this may be the last one I make!!!!!  They are very time consuming, but this is filled with lots of love!  Even if it's wonky!

Test Swatch

Spoonflower has a special once a year.  You can send in a design and they will send you back a free test swatch.  I sent in a jpeg of a pin I made a pal.  Here is the result of the test swatch on quilt fabric:

The fabric design came out a little darker than the original, but it was a fun idea.  I guess you get better results with paler designs, but I'm not that kinda gal!  LOL!

Flaming Muse Workshop

So while our kitchen is being restored to it's beautiful self, I decided to take an online creativity workshop.  It's pretty intensive, deep and fun!  I'm in my last week now, just as the kitchen is getting finished!  We had videos to watch & assignments to do.  I'm just gonna show some of the assignments without explanation.  It would take too long to go over 3 weeks' lessons!  :)

This is my bliss board:

This is my Irrelevant sign

This is my permission slip

This is my MORE page

And this is called The Magic Circle.

It's by John William Waterhouse & really inspired some of my magic work!