Treasures - to share

I found these paper dolls in the cedar chest I was cleaning out.  Unfortunately there is no date on them anywhere, so I don't know how old they are.  Several people think they might date from World War I.  I scanned the images and am posting them here for you to use in any way you see fit.  I would love to see what you make with them though!!

First is the bride, groom and the minister....

I know I cropped these, but for some reason they didn't save...sorry!
Next, is the bridesmaid and best man...

and finally the parents of the bride...

This is what is printed on the backs...

Hopefully you can embiggen these and use them in your art! 

atc's, techniques, and friends

Today was our monthly CQTeers meeting and, surprisingly enough, we hardly ate any chocolate!  We were far too busy sharing our latest projects and gabbing.

This month our atc challenge was to create something using these paper napkins for inspiration....

Here is what we came up with....

The one on the upper left and the two on the lower left are by Irene; Sue did the one on the upper right and also on the lower right; and mine are the two in the middle of the upper row.  Having the same base 'material' leads us to so many different interpretations!

Irene had a very busy program planned for us too...

We learned some more zentangle techniques - all of which I need a lot more practice at!!  We played with watercolor paper and either watercolor or acrylic paints to create interesting backgrounds for either atcs or cards.  Finally we also zentangled on an easter egg....

We had a fun time!!

Thank you Irene!

New desk!

Finally.  I've graduated to a adult size desk, sort of.  My old computer desk was an antique and a really nice one at that, but it was just too small for my long legs to fit into/under.  I now have a new one, which makes me feel as though I've shrunk!!

Here it is....closed

and here it is with the 'wing' open....

I'm a very happy camper.

I'm so sick of piles!!!!

Everywhere I look there's a pile.

Here a pile,
there a pile,
everywhere a pile, pile!! **

SEE??

This is just one of many.

Right now there are four rooms in our basement in varying states of destruction.  First of all Jack painted the laundry and freezer room (they're connected) and THEN because he didn't want to put painters tape on the freshly painted walls in order to do the ceiling  "until they're fully cured", he moved on to paint the two rooms that were my Dads'.  Now there's stuff piled all over all those rooms, PLUS the overflow is residing in my studio.  This pile of books is there because the bookshelf I had them on was in imminent danger of falling to pieces.  It has been fixed and now I face the fun (?) job of putting all these back again.  Well, maybe not them all, because I will weed as I go. 

Oh yeah, and there's also three big plastic totes in the middle of my floor in varying stages of being packed for the yard sale.

** and now, if you've got Old MacDonald running through your mind, you might just as well join me in the looney bin!!

Grubbing in the dirt

I spent most of the afternoon transplanting houseplants along with all the mess it entails.  I now have twelve new pots of plants which are destined for the yard sale.  I've learned from previous sales that it's definitely better to have a plant already in a pot - otherwise the pots don't sell. 

After that I cleaned out a closet in the laundry room.

Fun, huh???

Winners and another type of giveaway....

First of all, here are the three winners of the envies of ephemera giveaway...

Sharne (Sharne's Bits 'n' Bobs)

Deb (Mosaic Magpie)

Sharon (Dancing Thru Threads)

I have your snail mail addy Deb, but I will need Sharne and Sharon's.  I'll be emailing you both!

NOW FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT...

For this one, you will have to agree to 

donate at least $10 to
either your local humane society
OR
the WorldVets organization
to help with their current
efforts to rescue and aid animals
affected in Japan.

You will have to leave a comment on
THIS POST ONLY
letting me know which of these items
you would like
(first come, first served)
and which charity you will
support.

FIRST UP....

This is a small apron (child sized)
perhaps made of lawn (I'm not sure of the fabric).

SECOND....

 This is a pillow cover - backing is included.
Dated 1935
Embroidered
The backing is slightly stained

FINALLY....

another pillow cover with backing
Undated and probably cotton fabric
THIS ITEM IS GONE, THANK YOU!

Sentimentality...and space

First, I must say thank you for all the great suggestions about what I might be able to do with the quilts.  Tomorrow I will haul them all out and try to make some executive decisions about their possible re-use.

Here are a couple more things
I've kept and really can't
justify trying to take
into an apartment...

First, some of my baby clothes...

My mother was a packrat and kept a LOT of stuff and my baby clothes are part of the legacy.  Pale pink dresses, little white slips, and a pair of rubber (plastic?) lined ruffled panties.  I've dutifully kept them all these years and the time has come to dispense with them.  I will keep some 'bits' for crazy quilt fodder but the rest are on their way out.

Having said that my mother was a packrat, I guess I can't complain, because look at what I kept.....

Now isn't this a sorry sight? 

This poor old Lassie dog was a pajama bag and my most favouritist of playmates.  The poor thing is missing most of his fur, his nose has been chewed, and most of his stuffing fell out over the years.  My mother attempted to restuff him with old nylons.  I remember my aunt, feeling badly about his sorry state, getting me a 'new' stuffed dog, but he wasn't Lassie and I had nothing but contempt for it.  

Why on earth would I have kept this??

mumblings (again)

1.  You might want to check out the latest dolls that are setting out on their journeys through the group at Art Dolls Only.  Their traveling doll projects are always fun.  Have a look HERE and be sure to scroll down!  There are lots of exceptional artists that take part in this project.

2.  I have a dilemma - what would you suggest I do with several old quilts that are threadbare in places?  I'm looking for ideas.  I won't have room to store them in the apartment and I really can't bring myself to dispose of them.  Put your thinking caps on and give me some thoughts.  Please?

3.  I started giving you links to some of my favourite places I have on my google reader and suddenly realized that I didn't finish the list.  Today I'll give you three more...

First is a wonderful blog written by Freda B.  She is a special lady and is incredibly gifted with crazy quilting and also with her amazing flea market finds.  She's one of the most generous ladies I know.  Have a peek at her blog HERE.

Second is another blog written by Kathy  Shaw of Shawkl, who is another generous soul.  She has just published her 'Embellishing Crazy Quilts' book which I'm happy to have in my collection and would highly recommend.  Her blog is HERE.  She has had an ongoing series of seam treatments on her blog - well worth having a look at!

Third is one that probably would only interest my Canadian readers - Smart Canucks publishes lots of good deals and points you to product coupons.  It's HERE.

4.  Finally, don't forget to enter my giveaway draws for packages of paper ephemera.  Scroll down to leave a comment on that post to get your name entered in the draw.  You have until Monday!

and - here's a quote - "Best friends are the siblings God forgot to give us".

Oh, the excitement!

Yep, I'm beyond excited.  Really thrilled actually! 

What have I done today?

W - e - l - l ......

First of all,
just for the sheer exuberance of it

I painted this!!

'This' is a cedar lined blanket box that my Dad made many moons ago.  It was painted a really AWFUL colour.  I really have hopes that one of our kids will want it and if they don't, well, I'm sure prospective buyers at the yard sale will be much more interested if it's white.

And then....
just for additional oomph in my life....

I covered the top of my worktable with cheapie tile from the dollar store!

I can barely contain myself.

Help for Japan...and a giveaway

The group at Crazy Quilting International is asking for 8" quilt squares, both crazy and 'sane' quilted, for their 'Hearts and Hands For Sendai' fundraiser for the people in Japan.  Please go to their site HERE for further details and the guidelines.  Please consider getting involved because it's something we quilters CAN do to help the people in Japan. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Further in my attempts to clear out my stash, I have three envies stuffed with paper ephemera up for grabs.  If you're interested in winning one, just leave me a comment on this post and I'll draw the names of the three winners on Monday Mar. 28th.  Go ahead, don't be shy!!

A turtle for Jayden

My friends have a new baby grandson and right now he and his parents are in Japan and trying to get out.  Our thoughts and prayers are with them right now, along with all the other people of Japan.

Baby Jayden and his mother Qu Yi and father Jonathan already planned to move to Canada in April and the concern now is how they will manage to get here.  I made this little turtle to welcome Jayden to Canada...

The pattern is from Caron on their website...you can get it HERE.

Please add this family to your prayer list along with all the people of Japan.

The Case of the Knitting Needles

One of my friends who had her birthday last week had admired the case I had for my circular knitting needles.  She is a KNITTER (whereas I can safely call myself a knitter).  Because she is a KNITTER she has lots of needles and therefore my little case wouldn't come close to holding her collection. 

Here's mine....

My case handily holds 12 circular needles (and will hold more if you double them up).

After much thought and finangling, I tripled the
size and made her this one...

Hers will hold 36 needles.  I can see a couple of things I would change if I were to make another one, but she's happy with my first effort.  I can see though that it won't be long until I have to make her another one - she already has this one filled!

My original holder is from Butterick pattern # 5006 and in both cases I used recycled denim from my stash, along with some cotton fabric.

More stash reductions....

Yesterday we had a walk-through on the apartment we're considering and, provided they will upgrade a few things, we'll be moving before too long!  It will be available May 1st, but we will be taking our time to actually move.  Having two weddings - one May 14th and the other June 25th - means we have other priorities too.

So....
here's a few more things up for
grabs. 
Leave a comment if you're
interested - and be sure
to tell me which thing you'd like!!

First, the April/May 2010 issue of Stitch magazine...

Gone!

Next, the Aug/Sept 2010 issue of Stitch...
GONE

An issue of Classic Stitches (No. 98)...

GONE!!

and, finally, an instruction book
for making flowers from crepe paper,
copyrighted 1948....
ALSO GONE!

Lady Sebastian is moving on!

Lady Sebastian has been living here with me for the past while and I must admit I'm going to be very sad to see her leave and head out on her travels again.

She is on a quest through Egypt in hopes of finding her

missing father.

My additions included painting her dress, adding the beaded fringe to her apron and on the bottom of her dress, and the spear.  There is also an arm band (an old tarnished ring) and a cat charm on her apron.

Closeups...

I did four pages in her travel journal.... here's page one....

The background for this page was a piece of painted textured wallpaper.  I painted and heated some Tyvek for the 'blobs' on either side.  The bug appeared out of my stash and fit the theme because scarabs were an Egyptian relic.

Page two...

This page was a piece of watercolour paper I painted.  Additions included the sun (an applique), a cat button which I antiqued and a string of trim that looks suspiciously like 'real' gold.  If you embiggen the picture I think you can read the words.

and page 3 & 4...

The background for this is a piece of my rusted fabric with a feather trim added on the side.  Behind the cat image is a piece of 'snakeskin' fabric.  The relics on the right were blobs of hot glue that were rubber stamped to add the images - painted and antiqued. 

Busy, busy, busy....messy, messy, messy!

Above is my worktable at the moment...

and below is my cutting table....

I won't show you the floor!

I'm still here, just buried in a couple of projects I need to get done this week.  If you don't hear from me soon, please send a cleaning crew.

AND COFFEE!!

Beautiousness!!

Just lookit this!!!

and here's a closeup.....

This is eco dyeing at its best and it's
mine, mine, all mine!!!!!!

Handmade, and more like it for sale in Arlee's shop!  She is constantly updating her stock and I'm so  in awe of what she is creating.  Have a look HERE for her blog and HERE for her shop.