A Challenge for 2014...

Epic Fail!!!! I have already fallen off the cart!!! I purchased not one but two bolts of fabric for less than a dollar a yd...so I will start this challenge over starting Monday January 6th 2014! :)
After reading this post on Sharon's blog, I have decided to take the challenge...my fabric stash is way out of control and I need to use it up...also I have several ufo's that I want to finish this coming year...here is the challenge:

GOALS:

- To use the Stash I already have!

- Finish UFOs without distraction by shifting to other new beautiful fabric.

- Stop the insanity of constantly buying the latest and greatest fabric.

- Save the $$ I spend on stashing. For me, this is going to mean I start saving for a long arm. That dream simply isn't going to happen while I spend every little bit of my quilty earnings on fabric. And it's a dream I desperately want to happen.

- Destash the fabrics that I realize I am never going to use.

FABRIC FAST RULES:

1) No fabric purchases for 6 months beginning January 1, 2014.   

2) At 6 months reevaluate status and decide whether to keep going for full year.  Evaluation July 1, 2014.

3) Create a UFO list and complete them!

4) Exceptions

·                     Backing: purchasing a backing to finish a quilt top is permissible.  However, attempting to use fabric in your possession for a backing is preferable.

·                     Books and Magazine purchases are allowed as they are not fabric.  Notions acceptable too.

·                     Swap Mama Fabric: if hosting a swap you are permitted to by fabric to execute swap duties, but you may not join a swap simply for the sake of being able to buy fabric!

·                     Quilts for Publication: if you are making a quilt for a publication and need certain fabric to execute it correctly then that is a major exception - who can blame you?

You can go here to link up and be a part of this challenge if you feel that your fabric stash is overtaking your space...wish me luck because I am going to need it! I will post pics of my some of my in another post sometime this week.

Wendy

Another Finish....

This is another of my December finishes...this one was for ds who loves all things dragon related...I really enjoyed making this wall hanging and it is now hanging in its new home...I used cross hatching when quilting this to keep the background laying flat...I started out hand stitching this, but did not like the look of it once I had completed several rows...then I had a light bulb moment and decided that the cross hatching would be perfect for this little quilt...I just used a meandering stipple in the borders...I have another in the works for his up coming birthday in April so stay tuned for that one as well...
Wendy

SSCS...What I Sent...

Since it is Christmas I wanted to sneak in and post the gift that I made for my partner in the Secret Santa Swap that Chooky hosts every year...my lady to send out to this year was Lurline...I have followed her blog for a while, so I was excited to get her name...I sent out this little wall hanging that I made...
Wendy

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my blogging friends! May your holiday be filled with much love, laughter, peace, joy and family as we celebrate the reason for the season!

SSCS Reveal...

 Once again I joined Chooky's Christmas swap...this is such a fun swap every year...this year I received the most beautiful wall hanging from my partner! I just love it! Thank you so much Maria, I love everything you sent out to me!

And after opening...such a lovely little wall hanging and has already been placed in a place of honor...thank you again Maria for such lovely gifts...

And a big thank you to Chooky and Googygirl for all the hard work that you put into this swap to make it so wonderful for all of us ladies who swap...now to plan for next years swap!
wendy

Santa Sack Reveal...

 Back in June I signed up for Cheryll's Santa Sack Swap, which I have participated in for the last three years...we had five months to make gifts and put a package together for our partner...my partner was Leona and you can find her here...opening day was the the 19th of Dec. and here is what my partner sent out to me...Thank you again Leona for your sweet gifts...a closeup of the small candle mat that she made for me...

And these are the gifts that I sent out to Leona...I had fun putting together a package for Leona and she has replied back that she likes what I sent out to her....

A big thank you for our wonderful swap momma, Cheryll once again you have made this a wonderful swap...
Wendy

A Special Gift...

This is a special oak gift that I made for my oldest daughter (she is not crafty, so does not read my blog):) On yesterday was her son's Payton's birthday. He would have been four years old. Anyone who has read my blog for any amount of time, knows that Payton did not live outside of the womb. We went through a full labor and delivery and at the end we went home with a empty car seat. His cord had wrapped around his tiny neck during the night after a routine checkup two weeks before his due date. To say that this left all of us devastated is an understatement. Yet, for my dd it has left an emptiness inside of her for what could have been. She grieves for the loss of her son. But more importantly she is afraid that everyone will forget about him and who he could have been. With that in mind on this birthday I wanted to do something very special for her. This tiny angel is in memory of Payton a small token to her from me that he is still in my heart as well and that he will not be forgotten. 

I just wanted to share this small gift that has special meaning to me as well as my dd. Even while making this baby angel from the forming of the clay to the making of his cloud nest, parts of my heart have been healed from his loss a little more. Just a simple act of love to show someone I love that I too remember and miss a grandson that is no longer with us. That I remember the hours that we had with him to say our goodbyes, to cuddle with him and begin the journey of healing.

I encourage you to love those you are around this holiday season and tell them how much they mean to you. You never know how a simple hug or act of kindness can brighten someones day.
Wendy

This Arrived This Week...

Back in the summer I pre-ordered this book from Judi over on Green Fairy Quilts...I am so happy that it has finally arrived and now I can look my fill...if you have never been to Judi's blog you should go on over and take a look see...she is such a talented longarm quilter and designer...you will want to have a cuppa and some chocolate nearby while you browse through her blog...she does absolute stunning quilting on not only her quilts, but those of her customers as well...I hope to one day have a heirloom quilt quilted by her...she is so talented and amazing...what I really like about her is that she is down to earth and very humble...I will be curling up with this book in the evenings this weekend to be inspired by all the lovely quilting...
Wendy

A Finish...

I finally was able to finish the shrug that I was making...it is a really pretty yarn from Lion Brand Yarns-Vanna White-Sea Mist...it took four skeins of this yarn to make the small size shrug...I am pleased with how it turned out...another giftie finished...I did not think it would get finished since I had injured the tendons in my right arm...but I was finally able to do the last bit of crochet on this today...
Wendy

Table Runners....

A group photo of all six of the table runners...this first one I am calling berry blast! I absolutely love it and will be keeping this one...the rest are for gifts and I have six more to make...

This one is pretty as well...although the print fabric does not take ironing very well at all, so I used the blue solid for the center...I still like it though...

I have had this candy cane fabric forever and a day....I think it turned out really well...

I think both of these prints went really well together for this....

I have only a small bit of this fabric left now...I have had it for a long time as well, as I bought five yds. when I first purchased it because I liked it so well...I paired this one with a burgundy solid to bring out the colors in the ornaments...

This was some Moda green that I had from a few yrs. back that looks Christmasy....this one could actually be used before or after the holiday season...

these all turned out really nice and I am off now to finish up the others...
Wendy

A Finish...

A small finish, but a finish none the less...I finally finished the snowman stitchery...I stated in my last post that I had applied iron on lightweight fleece to the back...I really like how the stitchery turned out...the fleece keeps the thread from showing to the front once it is completed, that is a big plus...my only gripe is that I should have pieced the whole thing before I ironed the fleece to the stitchery...lesson learned...and the finished mat...

I did have to change how I made this one as I did not think to piece it all at one time...again a lesson learned...this little project took a totally different turn because I did not think the project through before beginning...I am usually really good about that, but not this time...I really like how this little mat has turned out though...I will be doing another one in the original plan that I had...so, will I use fusible fleece again, yes, yes and yes again...if you decide to use it just remember that it works best with the quilt as you go method of projects...your project with be quilted when finished, all you have to do is put the backing/binding and your done...what are your thoughts on using fusible fleece good or bad I would love to hear them...oops, I forgot to add that the stitchery is a Michelle Ridgway design and can be found on her blog for free here.

Wendy

New Canvas...

I made a couple more fabric canvases over the last month...I really like how these come together...they are a great project when your sewing is limited...I see more of these in the future done with regular fabrics and not Christmas fabric...and here are some closeups of the new ones....a collage with two snowmen as center stage for this canvas...

  And this one...just simple patches for this one...

 The very first one that I made...

the second collage with one snowman as center...

Wendy

FNWF Results...

I added eyes and a nose on the snowmen for the candle mat, but had not posted it as of yet...and a small close-up of the snowman...

it was slow going as hand stitching is only allowed in small amounts until the tendons heal in my arm...Now for the FNWF: I started this little stitchery ...does not seem like I made much progress, but the stitches are tiny so I think it was a good showing...

I did add some fusible fleece to the back of this one just to try it out...at this point I am not sure how I feel about it as it seems kind of thick even though the fleece says that it is light weight...we shall see...I did make a few items that I cannot show as they are a secret...keep those needles stitching,
Wendy

On This Day....

On this day 25yrs ago I married my soul mate...the journey has been wonderful for the first 25yrs and I am looking forward to the next 25 and all that they hold for us...

SSCS...Parcel Arrived

Every year I participate in the swap that Chooky hosts for her readers...my parcel from my secret santa has arrived and is now under the tree awaiting Christmas day...Maria sent to me all the way from down under...go check out her blog here... We make one handmade gift and then an ornament which we can open immediately when our parcel arrives...she wrapped mine in some lovely Christmas fabric and those cockatoo's are just beautiful... These are just wonderful and are now hanging with the rest of my handmade ornaments. Now to be patient until Christmas. We don't know who makes for us as who we send to is not the same as who sends to us. I will post what I made for my partner on Christmas day.
Ornaments from SSCS...so lovely....

I can show the ornament that I made for my partner...

Wendy

Happy Thanksgiving....

Happy Thanksgiving to all my blogging friends who celebrated 
Thanksgiving on today.I hope your day is filled with love, laughter, family and lots of great food! Be blessed and tell those around you how much they truly mean to you.
Wendy

Snowmen Finished...

I finally finished the snowmen candle mat I have been working on...this project was fun and irritating at the same time...let me explain the last part...I was working fine the first snowmen no problem...then during the process of appliqueing the second one my fingers began to feel really raw...I could not figure out why...I left the project unfinished after I had sewn down the three snowmen and came back to it this past weekend...just like the first time, after working a little while my fingers and hands began to feel really raw...the only thing I came up with is working with the wool felt...I have never had any other type of reaction to wool before, so am not sure if that was the problem or not...anyhow, it is now finished unless I want to add anymore detail...I had thought about adding facial features but it wont be seen underneath a candle...what do you think, should I add the face or leave it as is?
Wendy

FNSI...Results

Not as much accomplished as I wanted, but I do have some secret sewing that cannot be posted yet...I did complete three more flowers for the scrappy flower garden and started a fourth...these are the first I have made in some time as I had over stitched and crocheted until I had tendinitis and had to let it heal...I did do a bit of stitching, but again I can not show it...soon though...what did you accomplish at the FNSI...

Wendy

National Button Day...

I was reading a blog I follow today and her post was about this being National Button Day...well I could not go without posting some of my buttons as well in honor of it being Button Day! I have a large collection of vintage buttons that was my grans and my moms...we used to play with them as kids and used them as money and such in games we played...most of these buttons holds many memories of days happily playing in the button tin...since I have had them I have added to them on and off through the years...here are just a few of my buttons...a few put together...the yellow ones came from a dress my mom wore when she was a little girl in the 30's...they are very fragile and I only have a few of these now...the black one is made of jet and came off a mourning dress. 

 these are made of bone and came off a coat that my mom wore...

 I love the green ones with the lilly petals on them...and the chocolate buttons with knots...these came from gran as well.

 These buttons are made of leather and are in really good condition considering their age.

I hope you have enjoyed my buttons as much as I do...I will be back on tomorrow with the results of my FNSI...
Wendy

Fairies...

A while back I entered a drawing on this blog for some fairies...someone else won the major drawing, but the artist Annette was so generous that she sent each lady that responded a few of her fairy cards...mine arrived this week and they are beautiful! You should go check out her blog here as she has some amazing art on her blog...these are just stunning...and no they did not come with writing across them, I added this out of respect for the artist and her work...:)
Wendy

Birthday Post....

My birthday was on the 6th of this month and I forgot to post about it here...I had a wonderful day and had many birthday wishes...I thought I would post a few of the items I received on my big day...I am so blessed to have been able to celebrate another year on this earth...I am truly thankful to God for another great year....a mini quilt, 7 charm packs, fat quarters, crocheted shawl, crocheted neck warmer, enamel peacock with swarovski crystals,two jellyrolls, and a $10.00 gift card from Goodys...had a great haul...the crocheted shawl and scarf was made for my by my daughter Bliss...I really missed her being here...the two men in my life went in together for the peacock...I love it...and of course I love my fabric...some closeups:He is just beautiful and sparkly when the light hits it...the crystals on his tail is just amazing...he opens up and there is a space just the right size to put something special inside...R & C did so well in getting this for me...another gorgeously stunning peacock for my collection...I love it guys!!!

Next is my lovely shawl that Bliss made for me to wear when I am working on my handwork in the evenings or early mornings...this pic does not do the color justice...it is a deep red and is so very soft and cuddly...I used this already this morning while drinking my cuppa and browsing blogs...so warm...a big thank you to my sweet Bliss for making these for me....I love them!

And a very lovely colorful scarf because Bliss knows how much I adore color!

My dad/mom got me another singer sewing machine along with this great mini quilt...I love collecting vintage/antique sewing machines so this was a great gift....I will be posting about it again soon...

That was the haul for this year...The most special gift of all though is the gift of life through another year from my heavenly Father...I cannot thank Him enough for all that He has done, not only for me but my family as well this past year...I am looking forward to another great year!

Wendy