Friday, September 30, 2011

WEEKEND SALE IS ON...


THE WEEKEND SALE IS ON....

WITH THE COUPON CODE.."WEEKEND25" -ALL PURCHASES ARE 25% OFF. THE SHOP HAS BEEN STOCKED THIS WEEK WITH NEW FELTED COZIES, NEW BUBBLE GUM HAPPINESS FLOWER PATCHES, NEW MITTENS, NEW FAT QUARTER STRIPED BUNDLES, AND A VARIETY OF FUN VINTAGE FINDS FROM MY TRIP LAST WEEK.

FOUND A BEAUTIFUL VINTAGE WOOL BLANKET IN AMAZING CONDITION...
FOUND THIS FUN RAINBOW STRIPED WOOL SWEATER FROM NEPAL...19 NEW STRIPES THIS WEEK ON THE SHELVES....
FINALLY FINISHED A HANDFUL OF THE SCRAPPY PATCHES...
FINISHED 6 NEW PAIRS OF FELTED WOOL MITTENS.....
AND ABOUT 15 NEWLY DESIGNS WOOL COFFEE COZIES JUST IN TIME FOR THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS.....


Thursday, September 29, 2011

SECRET SALE!!!


IT HAS BEEN AWHILE SINCE A SECRET SALE HAS GONE ON...SO HERE WE GO! ALL PURCHASES MADE USING THE COUPON CODE "SECRETSALE40" WILL BE GIVEN A 40% DISCOUNT . THIS SALE IS TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL MY LOVELY BLOG READERS. THERE IS A COUPON CODE BOX PROVIDED DUING CHECKOUT FOR THE COUPON CODE. THE SALE WILL RUN UNTIL 7PM THIS EVENING. HAPPY SHOPPING!

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

WEDNESDAY DOUBLE SALE...


THE SHOP IS HAVING A DOUBLE SALE TODAY...

*********************ALL HANDMADE ITEMS ARE 20% OFF...


********************ALL VINTAGE CLOTHING IS 50% OFF...

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

My Walk With the Kids....


Matt had to run out to a meeting tonight after dinner, so I took the kids on our evening walk and took along my camera this time. There is always so much going on with the five kids on a walk so I thought I would share some pictures from tonight.
Bell started out keeping me company while the others ran ahead to play on the trail...
Joslyn found this nasty spider and we just had to get his picture...
I asked the kids to stop for at least a minute so i could capture all of them together-they attempted to cooperate:)
Joslyn spent the time picking wild flowers...
Madison was walking Ellie but stopped to add a few to the bouquet...
Sun just about to set behind the trees...
Joslyn and Noah kept a steady pace a bit in front of me.
Cole was wild man running across the field in order to beat all of us...
The girls had these flowers already in jars upon my arrival at the front door. It was another good evening walk...

Coming Soon...Mittens in Progress

It is that time of year when the dust from my wool begins to cloud up the breathable air, everything I touch seems to be covered in a thin layer of rainbow colored wool dust, the lint roller gets a work out, our vacuum just stays put in my studio getting used every couple of hours to clear paths on my studio floor, but I am in design heaven. I do acquire wool here and there even throughout the summer months when I come upon it, but I do not create with it much until the fall and winter. So pulling it out these past few weeks is like opening Christmas presents you have waited months for. Those plump shelves of colorful wool start to rapidly decline as the mittens making piles begin to pile up. This past week consisted almost entirely for prepping for new mittens. Here are some of the pictures from the process...
I began by cutting out 32 front mitten panels in a variety of colors, then I pulled the scrap baskets out for the applique designs I needed to create on each of the panels. That is the fun part!!

Each pair of mittens are one of a kind, even if I use the same design and colors, there are always at least small shade differences that make them different from the last. Working in color families has me completely fascinated whether it be using colors that compliment one another or colors that actually seem to clash, each has it's own personality.
Can I say again how much I am loving this table!! But after this week, I need to seriously start saving to get some better lighting, it was a bit difficult to work in the dim light. I unfortunately have no windows in my studio, which is killing me, but I opted for the kids play room to need the light more than me. I may just be surprised at the actual color of the mittens when I take them outside to be photographed:)

After I get the panels designed, I begin appliqueing them at my machine using my opening toe stippling foot that typically I would use for quilting. But then, I tend to stray for the production line style work a bit. I cannot just sit at my machine for hours on end appliqueing all of the 32 panels. Over the weekend I managed to get only half finished, but then I take a break from the applique part and start cutting out the wool and fleece lining for the rest of the mitten.
I also use recycled fleece from pjs, fleece blankets, robes, etc to line the inside of the mittens. I think it is actually more difficult to find fleece in good second hand condition than it is to find good wool. But I think that is because wool is a natural, organic material where as fleece is man made. Kind of goes to show just how good God's creation really is!!
The cuffs for the mittens come right from the sweaters I recycle. I cut off all of the cuffs and hems off the sweaters before I store them and store the cuffs in a separate crate.

These mittens have been completely designed and all the parts are cut and ready to be finished by machine.
And these are the front panels I have left needing to be appliqued. I can work on these here and there when time allows. I usually sew whenever my family watches a movie or TV show, or when the kids are playing or reading or sleeping:) haha you get the picture.
Here is the lone pair that has been completely finished and added to the shop. I absolutely love green, so I had a hard time not keeping these for myself. But my first pair I made for myself two years ago is still going strong and I am going to continue to resist my impulse to acquire more:)

So if you are looking for mittens and the shop seems a bit sparse, have no fear, there are whole bunch of woolies about to descend upon the shop! Let me know if there is one in particular you would like me to reserve for you-I would be happy to do so! I will be taking custom orders as well from now until the end of November. However, if you are needing larger amounts, I will need to know before the end of Oct in order to see if I have the time available.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Giveaway Winner...


I AM SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN GETTING THE WINNER PICKED FOR LAST WEEK'S GIVE AWAY!! YOU GUYS SHOULD HAVE YELLED AT ME:)

THE WINNER OF THIS FUN FAT QUARTER BUNDLE IS.......


LUCIEP! GO AHEAD AND CONTACT ME THROUGH THE SHOP WITH YOUR MAILING ADDRESS AND I WILL GET THIS BUNDLE OUT IN THE MAIL TO YOU:)

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO PARTICIPATED!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

UPCYCLED BED LINENS SALE TODAY ONLY...


BED LINENS ARE ON SALE TODAY!! 30% OFF ANY LINENS-INCLUDING SHEETS, PILLOWCASES, YARDAGES, FAT QUARTER BUNDLES, QUILT SQUARES AND FLAT RATE BOXES. HAPPY SHOPPING!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Finished....

I have shared in earlier posts this week about some of the painting projects around the house. I told Matt when he came home today, "be careful, anything that is white is probably wet" He laughed at me when I said, "if I get the can of paint out, I mine as well get it all done"I finished the little shelf- not sure it will stay here-but I love the look.
The school table is done as well. Happy to have it back for the little ones. And on a side note, yes, I love old type writers! The kids love playing on them as well. I am hoping to locate replacement ribbons for them and then teach the kids to type. Madi and I found the blue one a long time ago and Matt and I found the tan one a few weeks ago. I am happy to be done painting!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Works in Progress...

Earlier today I shared a post of random simple events around the house. I have taken a few more photos to share the works in progress...This resting place for this bookshelf has yet to be determined, not because it is unnessesary, but because there are so many places waiting to be oganized out of crates! The girls helped me paint this. I still have a coat or two left and then need to seal it.
This is the school table for my youngest two. We are giving it up for a few days to give it a fresh coat of paint and maybe even some fun designs having to do with school. I still have not decided on that. I tend to move furniture around as often as i wash bedding-so making something with a permanent theme is not usually a good idea;)
This little side table is actually an old stool. I couldn't pass it up-it had such a cute bean shape to it. We have used it for everything! But I finally have gotten around to painting it and re-glued the legs.



And last but not least for now at least, is a little school chair I recently found. It is shorter than most chairs and would not fit at a normal table, but our school table is at an awquard height which has made it difficult to find seating for. This chair works fabulously! This chair I took the easy way out and spray painted. Certain furntiure re-dos I will not invest alot of time in because I know the beating they are about to take;)

Home Life...

Just a few fun snips of life around our house.I was sitting next to Noah while working with the kiddos this morning. Noah is 4 and a real character! I asked him to color inside the lines for his lesson on the letter "A" this morning. What I heard from him still cracks me up. Very quietly, in a whisper and with determination, he says to himself "come on...concentrate" He was working very hard to stay within this skinny little line on the ambulance.
Bell and Noah are a fun pair to school. I work in short segments of time in order to keep their attention. I am currently painting their school table, so we were at the dining room table this morning.
We gathered up some more out of the garden yesterday. I am attempting to ignore how icky the garden looks right now in order to resist the urge to rip everything out. The end of the season always looks so tired and overgrown, but it is still producing and I need to insert some patience . But this was a fun bunch of food to gather up! Pumpkin seeds!!! That is the first on my list!
Yesterday afternoon, I dragged all the odds and ends of furniture that has accumulated in the garage awaiting my attention and hauled them outside to get sanding underway. It did not take long before the older kids had finished their studies and were out next to me begging to do some sanding. There is just something about that little sander that is so therapeutic, everyone wants a go at it. I didn't mind sharing, giving my arms a break! Everything is getting a fresh coat of crisp white making the mismatched bunch, look somewhat coordinated.;)

Monday, September 12, 2011

GIVEAWAY.....


IT HAS BEEN AWHILE SINCE THERE HAS BEEN A GIVEAWAY-SO TODAY IS THE DAY!!!

I WILL BE GIVING AWAY THESE 5 FAT QUARTERS TO ONE SWEET WINNER...


THE FAT QUARTERS ARE A LOVELY COTTAGE COLLECTION RECLAIMED FROM SOME BEAUTIFUL BED LINENS. THEY ARE POLY COTTON BLENDS.


TO ENTER SIMPLY LEAVE A COMMENT....ONE ENTRY PER PERSON.

I WILL CHOOSE A WINNER ON FRIDAY, SO CHECK BACK !!

MONDAY'S SALE...


THE SALE FOR TODAY IS UNDERWAY IN THE SHOP. THERE IS A COUPON CODE TO USE FOR THE DISCOUNT. ALL PURCHASES WITH THE USE OF THE COUPON CODE ARE 30% OFF. TYPE IN "MONDAY30" TO RECEIVE THE DISCOUNT WHEN CHECKING OUT. HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Something to share...911

After a day spent remembering...

This is a blog post I wanted to share...

Perspective...

Scrappy Patch Works in Progress....


It was time to give my scrap bins a little love and a little purpose! I have not made any new patches for the shop for quite some time and I know there are a few fun customers who have been waiting patiently for some new ones. These are not a project that I do 1 or 2 of at a time, these are actually the type of project that is a rather large undertaking. Because of the volume of scraps I am working with and the time it takes to sort through them to find the right patterns and colors, I would much rather have the outcome be a whole collection than only a handful. I start by collecting the fabrics I want to use as the background foundation for the patches, for this bunch, I am working with pinks, reds, oranges, yellows and a touch of green. They remind me of lifesavers-YUM! After picking the prints, I iron fusible interfacing to the back of each patch after it is cut to size( I buy entire bolts of interfacing now-always love when JoAnns has their interfacing for half off!) I really enjoyed the process this time because it is the first time I have worked on a collection at my new studio table(it measures in at 6x9 feet! HEAVEN) I was able to lay out all the patches and work on them in smaller segments of time until they were all designed and ready to be sewn together. They are finished after 3 days of prep. They are now at my machine and I am hoping to spend a little bit of time on them each day to have finished by weeks end. Then I will begin on the greens and blues collection for next week. Here are a few pics from the process...

All coordinating and yet all one of a kind!
My blessing of a work table that has given me the ability to work on multiple projects at one time.
My floor after I am done working on scrappy patches. My fingers are a bit sore from all that cutting.
And 32 patches designed and waiting at my sewing machine for me. It will be a fun collection to see finished. I may just snag a few to frame;) Madi has been telling me I should make a quilt with pathces like these, I may just do that someday-sounds fun!