Moda Bake Shop Sliced contest entry#2

So my mind has been spitting more ideas out for the Moda Bake Shop contest Sliced.  The contest auditions end February 29th.  This idea has been in the back of my mind since before I heard of the contest.  The challenge fit well together with my idea for a block roll storage.

 

I had already made one for traveling, but wanted a second one to use in my studio for projects with pieces waiting to  be sewn.

I started by choosing 8 charm squares remaining in my charm pack and sewing them end to end.  Sewing a 3" border of Ruby green pindots all the way around.

Then I got out my Lil Twister ruler which I had never used. 

This is the coolest ruler ever!  And easy to use!

 I learned that the 5" charm pack squares are the perfect size for this ruler.  I also learned (though I couldn't find it written) that however many squares you use that is how many lil twister pinwheels you will make.

Its almost like magic how they come together.

I then bordered the finished central piece on three sides with the rest of the Origins yardage.  It came together very quickly.

I used batting for the back side that is what holds the fabric pieces on the inside when rolled up.  The first one I made I used flannel. 

 Either works fine. Though I had to use batting in the project and I love how the cotton batting holds the blocks.  You could even hang this over a door or chair or on the wall and use it as a small design wall.  Or reverse it for a small wall hanging.  I must say after using the origins charm squares and yardage of the one print I really love the color pallet.

I used another vintage buckle from my stash to form the belt like closure.

I love how my two projects go together and match my studio with the wonderful fabric choices.

Stay tuned who knows what else my mind will think up...the 29th isnt until Wednesday.

Keep dreaming...Colleen

This vintage token from Chevy, hiding in my buckle collection made me grimace.
Ready for Winter?  I've been waiting forever!

And the new winner is....

I had to pick a new winner for my March Stash Giveaway. 

True Random Number Generator

Min: 1

Max: 67

Result:

14

Powered by RANDOM.ORG

I picked #14 Diane!  Congrats Diane!  Send me your mail address and I will mail it right out. 

Keep dreaming...Colleen



Photoed this hexie quilt at the Stone Mt Country Store.



I've been playing...

I think I finally found my polymer clay niche.  I have been trying to create with polymer clay for several years.  I thought it was a perfect fit for my jewelry making.  I thought it would be good practice for working with precious metal clay... it wasn't, for me.  But now...

I've been playing again with pin toppers!

Fruit was a natural and a pear and apple appeared in my brain but I had no red or yellow. So...a trip yesterday to AC Moore, a 50% coupon, 10% teacher discount, AND a $10 reward certificate got me the colors I needed.  I made these last night.  But...I realized I had no brown for the stems so I mixed a little pink and green and...pears!

 

I stopped at Joann's today to get some white, brown and black.  So a 40% coupon, $5 off anything!, 15% teacher discount, and after dinner out with coworkers... I made an apple,

a bird's nest,

and this darling red bird on a branch.

 Oh, and this little mushroom.

 I even created this display pincushion in one of my vintage parfait dishes.  (Don't look too close I haven't sewn it closed yet.)

 I write this blog both to share my new obsession creative endeaver and to warn others...pin toppers are addictive!

Keep dreaming...Colleen



This is a pic of my fav activity -kayaking -
in my fav place-Gull Lake, Ontario Canada.
Can't wait to go back!



Scrappy pin cushion

I had a sewin tonight and made my scrappy pincushion for the Flickr groups swap.

It is two sided.  I dug into my special scraps to make this.

I even added a needle holder.  I hate when pincushions don't have these.  And then the pins get lost in the cushion.

I also tried a little experimentation with some polymer clay and made some pin toppers!

They turned out better then I could hope. 

 Good enough to include three with the pincushion.

And I also rolled up some great scraps so my swap partner could make some more scrappy goodness.

I added a few vintage sewing supplies-a 10cent rick rack and spool of thread.

I may add a few more goodies before I mail this.

Keep dreaming...Colleen



A duck filled raffle basket that raised $45 for Relay last year.
Included a baby quilt, stuffed quilt, and lots of rubber ducks!



Changes and down time

I have been a little quiet this week and last week on my blog.  I haven't finished sharing the goodies from two weekends ago and I had at least three other topics I wanted to blog on but sometime in the last two weeks I hit a wall.  I have blogged a minimum and have not felt motivated to blog more.  Actually I think flickr and the DQS10 is mostly to blame.  I have been trying to be chatty as I figure out my design plan.  I hope to catch up this weekend. 

Meanwhile I wanted to share something on the personal front.  I have made it known how five years ago I was diagnosed with cancer, went through chemo and lost all of my hair.  Before I started chemo I donated about 14 inches of hair to Locks for Love.    I have spent the last 5 years letting my hair grow back out.  It came in really dark and curly, though has straightened out and lightened up a bit.  It took a while to get used to it as I used to have dark blond hair.  I freaked in my shower for the first 2 years when I found the dark hair.  LOL!  So last night I went with my sister to her hair dresser and ... prepared for another donation.

This time I decided to send my hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths.  The wigs they make are donated to people who need them through the American Cancer Society.   My sister also talked me into a not too drastic color which actually is very close to my original natural blonde. 

It is like traveling through a time warp to my hair this color again.  And isn't it funny how we always look a little demented when we take a picture of ourselves in the mirror.

I have been packing up my mug rugs to send for the swap, of course I again sealed the package before I took a picture of all the goodies I am sending.  I added a fat eighth of an adorable birdcage fabric with 2 coordinating fat quarters.  I also added a small roll of ribbon with little birds on it, three matching skeins of embroidery floss, and a scrappy pin cushion I made from the mug rug scraps.

Keep dreaming...Colleen



$.75 fat quarters!  $.50 vintage glass ware! 
More goodies from the Quilting and Needle Art Extravaganza.

Here is shop info.



Va treasures

 Today is a welcome holiday after a long work week last week(not).  Mom, Dad, and I drove up to Fancy Gap, VA.  Our first stop was the Pottery and Fabric Outlet.  This is an immense place.  I was focused on the fabric and notions building.  Unfortunately as Dad was along I knew I had to shop fast.

 

The aisles were endless. 

 

 They carried many kinds of fabric.  Right inside the door mom spotted these great Valentine's Prints.

 

Then we saw boxes of fat quarters-look at the price!

But there was no time to look at them.  Dad went to look at the garden/country decor building and I knew he would be back too soon.

So I started looking at these beautiful fabrics.  Did I mention Henry Glass, P&B, Cranston, and $3.99 a yard?

 

I bought half yard pieces of some great halloween prints for my ongoing collection.  Some day I will make a great quilt.  The skeleton was the end of bolt so I bought one and a third yards.

 

I bought half yard pieces of these fabrics. 

The mushroom and the houses print may be used as part of a picture/landscape doll quilt I am thinking of making.   This green actually has verses from the bible telling parts of the Christmas story! 

The rainbow fish was just neat, as was the green snowflake print(I mean MY green!)The polka dot also had my green in it!  The stripe I was lucky to get for only $2 a yard so I bought 2 yards!  It will make great binding!  The stripe had some sort of tiny spot in the print run, that you could barely even see!

 

I will definately have to come back here again. They also have a 20% discount for verified wholesalers. 

 

We stopped at a few antique places on the way back down the mountain.  At Faye's Antiques I bought three packages of vintage ric rack for $1.  She tried to give them to me but I insisted on paying something.

 

At another antique store I found this wonderful block  for $1.50.  It is made up of 2.5" squares of vintage fabrics.  I love these prints and colors!  I may have to frame this.

 

I also found these great buttons for $1.  I wanted the green as I dont have a lot of light green buttons.  I got the great red buttons and others too!

 

The last stop we made was in Cana, VA for Mom and Dad to buy apples to make apple sauce.  I bought a few fun snacks I don't usually buy.  Dried apples, gummi butterflies, and rock candy.

It was really a great afternoon.  Snow lay on the ground in some places yet.  Frozen icicles hung from rocks where water seeped through.  And we stopped for some good food at Liberty restaurant in our town. 

 

Keep dreaming…Colleen



This quilt top was in an antique shop.  I loved the colors and the pattern and thought the way it was put together with the white sashing and orange squares interesting.  The dark color is a deep plum.