More Printing to Fabric…

I used the same method (see previous post) to print these postcard backs directly to fabric. As you can see, I was able to get two prints per page. This is much easier (and the results more predictable) than transferring the image using an iron and transfer paper. Again, thanks to Allie.

Fertile Earth Lesson Four: Leaves

I wanted to transfer a photo (that I had manipulated in PhotoShop) to fabric for lesson four of the Fertile Earth class. I had planned to print it on transferable paper, but my package of that stuff seems to have gone AWOL. So, I decided to print it directly on the fabric. Serendipitously, I came upon a great tutorial by Allie on this very topic. I didn’t have label-making paper for backing, so I fused Lite Steam-A-Seam to PFD cotton and smoothed it by hand onto 28 lb printer paper. I trimmed the edges and it printed perfectly on my old Epson printer. Since the fabric wasn’t fused to the backing paper, the paper just peeled right off. The first photo is the fabric print. The second photo is my appliquéd and stitched piece. I may add some beads to the background, although it is very sparkly, already.

Fertile Earth Lesson 2: Flowers

Here are my flowers from the Fertile Earth course, so far, anyway. I am enjoying stitching on the painted cheesecloth but I need to put this aside for now and move on…

Felt Paisley Pin

I finished another pin from Susan Sorrell’s Felt Pin class.

More Progress on Gourds...

I've added some background stitching, felt leaves and embroidered tendrils to my gourds. I still need to add beads for sparkle...

Funky Folk Art Felt Pin…

Here’s my first felt pin, stitched and beaded. I thought these pins would be quick to make – hah! They are fun, though, and kind of addicting – besides being a great way to use up tiny scraps. They are very pleasant to hold and surprisingly hefty and substantial. This one measures approximately 1 ½ inches x 2 ½ inches.

I’m Way Behind Schedule…

We are at lesson four in the Fertile Earth course, and I haven’t even begun lesson three! Eek! Meanwhile, here are a few felt pins in the making (from Susan Sorrell’s Funky Felt Pins class – waiting for stitches and beads. I made these last week but forgot to post them here. I’ve got too many projects going on at once – again!

Evil Kitties...and an Important Phone Number

I have been ill (again) for the past few days (really nasty sore throat and fever followed by the Mother-of-all-Colds!) and sent DH out to pick up a few things at the supermarket on Monday night. One of those things was liquid laundry detergent. He left it on a chair in the kitchen and, sometime during the night, the kittens knocked it over. The top came off and when he got up to put more wood in the stove he saw the liquid spread all over the kitchen floor. Trixie (our littlest one) was drenched in it and licking herself off (!) and Blake and Binky were playing in it. By the time I woke up, DH had already bathed all three of them, cleaned the floor and been on the phone with our vet and the ASPCA Poison Control Center. It was $60.00 for the phone call and another $40.00 for the meds – plus the cost of the wasted laundry detergent. We were supposed to watch them for twenty-four hours to make sure they weren’t drooling or lethargic. I’m happy to report that they are doing fine… and I’m doing better, myself. We have raised many cats over a thirty-four year period and have never seen the kind of havoc these kittens can wreak! Bad, bad Kitties…

ASPCA Poison Control Center: 800-548-2423

Have a Blessed Easter, Everyone...

This sweet vintage postcard was an EBAY find...

A Start on Lesson Two

Here’s my outline for lesson two just waiting to be filled in by some colorful stitches. I based this design on a photo of some chokeberry blossoms. I’m still working on the gourds from lesson one – and I signed up for Susan’s Felt Pins course starting Tuesday.

Roses Blue...

I was playing around in PhotoShop with a photograph of some roses from last year’s garden and this effect reminded me of flow blue china. First, I used the “Find Edges” filter; then, "Image/ Adjustments/ Invert." Next, I used "Image/ Adjustments/ Gradient Map," where I chose the third pattern under "Special Effects."

Nature Journal: Eggplant, Onion & Basil Leaves

Lesson two is supposed to be about flowers, but I’ve still got veggies on my mind. Hmmm, I’m in the mood for a little Ratatouille…

WIP

I’m taking Susan Sorrell’s Fertile Earth course at Joggles. We were supposed to use a vegetable or fruit for a design source for the first lesson's embroidery. Naturally, I chose a completely out of season subject – ornamental gourds. I found a quick reference photo I had taken last fall of some gourds purchased for Halloween decorating. I was attracted to the shapes and textures. Here’s my work-in-progress. I used a background I created last year on the embellisher because I thought the pattern echoed the texture of the gourds. I still have lots of stitching to do – and I’ll be adding leaves and tendrils - and, most likely, beads...

Black Bean Chili Con Conni

Here’s my recipe for vegetarian chili that has evolved over the years. It can be thrown together very quickly and easily – and is extremely tasty and nutritious!

1 Tablespoon olive oil
½ of a 12 oz. package of Morningstar Farms Crumbles (a meat substitute in freezer section of supermarket)
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 oz.) can Del Monte Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes (with Zesty Jalapeños)
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon chili powder (adjust to taste)
½ teaspoon cumin (adjust to taste)
2 scant teaspoons salt (I use Salt Sense to cut down on sodium.)

In a large skillet, lightly sauté the chopped onion in the olive oil. Add Crumbles and all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve on rice (I use brown rice) with a dollop of sour cream.

Serve with a salad, tortilla chips and salsa. Guacamole is nice, too!

Celebrating with Frida…

We celebrated our 35th anniversary today (a couple of days late) by having a nice lunch at the Olive Garden and then seeing the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It has been years since we visited the museum – so long, in fact, that we couldn’t remember ever getting so winded climbing those steps up to the entrance. By the way, everyone still raises their hands in triumph (a tribute to the movie, "Rocky") when they reach the top! It was a treat to see Kahlo’s work up close – and since it was the exhibition’s only east coast venue, we thought we’d better take advantage of it. Here is a great link with biographical information and many images of Frida’s work.

A Dress for Gene...

I tried out one of my purchased dress patterns for Gene. This darted dress was a little challenging, but I love the fit and how it emphasizes her tiny waist.

Sewing for Ann Estelle...

I haven’t purchased any patterns, yet, for my Ann Estelle doll, but I wanted to try making her a little skirt gathered to a waistband. I mean, how difficult could that be? I measured carefully (or so I thought) and the skirt ended up just a little too big (but perfect for one of my other dolls). I adjusted my pattern and made another skirt and, not only does it fit Ann Estelle perfectly, it also makes a sassy little skirt for Ellowyne. I also created a matching vest for Ann Estelle using a pattern made from a paper towel that was fitted to her. Now she needs a little top or T-shirt and she’ll be all ready for St. Patrick’s Day…

Nature Journal: Pepper Study

Nature Journal: Laurel?

The temperature rose into the low 60s today. Tomorrow it’s supposed to plunge down into the 30s... But I enjoyed the spring preview while it lasted...

I’m not sure what this plant is, possibly laurel? Just longing for a little color – even if it’s tinged with brown…

Ann Estelle

Here is my little Ann Estelle doll. I received her for Christmas. She’s patiently waiting for some new clothes, too...



Just look at that sweet expression…

Sewing for Gene...

Awhile back, I mentioned that I had started collecting Gene dolls, based upon the film stars of the thirties and forties I found a seller on EBAY who was liquidating some old store stock for a friend and I got brand new dolls, never removed from their boxes, for $25.00 each! I bought four different ones (I could kick myself for not buying more, but I was exercising restraint!). I also bought some clothing patterns and finally carved out some time to start sewing for them. This is a simple leotard made from a cheetah print knit (with an Angora fur texture). My “American Countess” Gene is modeling. The original pattern is meant to be the basis of a skating or dance outfit – but I think it might be a nice layering piece under a suit.

Remembering Dolls…

It seems as though February’s TIF challenge has sent everyone strolling down memory lane. Me, too. Does anyone remember the Uneeda Doll Company’s “Purty” doll? Here is mine (circa 1958?). Is she not the ugliest doll you’ve ever seen? And if you squeeze her tummy, her face scrunches up even more and she’s even uglier. Looking at her now, it’s no wonder I never had children – she probably put me right off! Hehe! I did have some other beautiful dolls that, sadly, are gone forever. One of my favorites was Pollyanna, based upon the likeness of actress, Hayley Mills. And I had a Miss Revlon doll that I adored. After that, I had two Barbies, one with a long blonde ponytail, and one with a red bubble cut. I also had Barbie’s friend, Midge – and boyfriend, Ken. The last doll of my childhood was Tressy. Her hair “grew” by turning a key in her torso… And then, all of a sudden, at the ripe old age of eleven, I was no longer interested in dolls – because the Beatles appeared on the scene! I wanted to buy records, not dolls! And it wasn’t too much longer before I became very interested in Mary Quant fashions and Yardley make-up - and boys! English boys! Sigh...

FLU & ATC...

For the first time since we were married (in 1973), DH and I were sick at the same time. We had that flu thingy that’s going around (although, at the time, DH swore it was the bubonic plague or some rare disease we picked up from the cats!). Whatever it was, I don’t remember ever feeling quite that run-down before in my life! It felt like the entire dance troupe from Riverdance was stomping through some of their more energetic routines in my head. I’m happy to say that the tour has finally moved on to another city. I am unscathed, too, except that I can’t smell anything. But that may be a blessing in a house full of cats. While we were ill, we had to take turns feeding them and scooping the litter boxes, as well as bringing in the firewood. It was awful. Then, to add insult to injury, Trixie (the littlest kitten), went into heat. Ironically, we had just called the vet a few days before we became ill to arrange for her to be spayed and her brothers to be neutered. We knew we had to separate her from her curious (but clueless!) brothers, so we brought her into our bedroom, and she thanked us by peeing all over the comforter… and emitting the loudest yowls you ever heard! The whole experience was like a nightmare. In one fevered conversation, DH and I talked about what would happen if we died – and wondered who would be the first person to discover our partially eaten remains… Thankfully, we had plenty of supplies in the house for ourselves and the cats so I guess it could have been a whole lot worse…

Trying to get back into the swing of things, I stitched a little ATC in honor of the inkberry holly. I used the embellisher to create the background from scraps of cotton fabric and wool roving.

More About the Inkberry Holly…

I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t find any green stems with berries, but I’ve just discovered, via some web research, that only the male plants stay green all winter, while the female plants do not. Although the berries are poisonous to humans, they are enjoyed by birds. I’ve also learned that the inkberry holly can be used as a foundation plant, as a substitute for boxwood – and can stand heavy pruning. It’s a versatile plant, indeed.

Nature Journal Sketch: Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra)

Just wanted to paint something green today and dream of spring… This is a stem of an evergreen shrub that grows all over the yard. The leaves have a notch on the top edge (which I now notice I have exaggerated just a bit!).

A Jacket to Match...

I made this jacket for Ellowyne to match her hat, adapting a pattern that I had originally purchased for my Gene dolls. The embellisher imbues the felt with the look of (doll-scaled) boiled wool. I can definitely see Santa outfit applications.

The model is the same Ellowyne doll as in the previous post but she’s wearing her auburn wig. She came with three wigs and looks completely different in each one. I am thoroughly enchanted with her…

A Funky Hat…

One of my Christmas gifts was a beautiful Ellowyne Wilde doll designed by Robert Tonner. Since she arrived only wearing her skivvies, I thought I’d better start sewing for her. I made this hat yesterday from a cute pattern I purchased on EBAY. Using a paper punch, I punched out circles of brightly colored felt and randomly placed them on plain black felt. Then I used the embellisher machine from both sides to completely enmesh them into the background. The hat doesn’t call for a lining but since the felt was thin, I decided to line it and blanket stitch the edges. Now I need to make her an outfit to go with the hat!

A Felted and Embroidered ATC…

Although I’m not participating in the TIF challenge this year, I must say I fell in love with this month’s color palette. So, I gathered up a few scraps from my stash and made this little ATC.

Painting on Collaged Papers...

This is a little painting I’ve been working on the past few days. It’s from Kelly Rae Roberts' “Patch it Together” project in the November/December issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors. I had wanted to try this collage technique since I first saw it - before the holidays. And I may play with it some more…

The Morning After...

Hmmm, this morning I noticed that I lost a serif on the letter “y” of the word “happy” in the previous post. (And all I had to drink last night was sparkling cider!) If I delete the post, it will never really go away – it will forever reside in the bloggy mists of Bloglines. (Why is there no delete function in Bloglines?) So, the only thing to do is just publish a new post with the correct version of the cut… I'm much happier now...

Happy New Year!

Well, I just had another birthday (Christmas Eve) and I love this quote from journalist Mary Schmich, “Like many women my age, I’m twenty-eight years old.” Hehe! DH surprised me completely with a gadget called the Klic-N-Kut Element. I had never even heard of it, but it is a personal die cutter. While I’ve never done scrapbooking, I can definitely see uses for a die cutter in altered art and collage work. Best of all, I can create my own images in any graphics program and import them into the machine. It will cut fabric, felt, foam, cardstock, vinyl, chipboard, etc., and will emboss metal. Here is an example of text I created in Corel and then imported to the Klic-N-Kut. It was cut from a metallic finished cardstock. This is definitely a fun little toy...

Happy Holidays to All!

This vintage postcard was an irresistible Ebay find…

The Last of the TAST: Chained Bar & Spanish Feather Stitches

Hallelujah! I did it! From left to right: whipped Spanish feather stitch, zigzag chain over rickrack, chained bar (over rayon floss), whipped Spanish feather stitch, buttonholed arrow stitch whipped with rayon ribbon, two rows buttonholed chevron stitch. I think the Spanish feather stitch may be one of my favorites, but it always seems to beg to be whipped!

TAST: Knotted Cable Chain, Berry & Pistil Stitches

I added more stitches to my little sampler: The fourth row consists of a single line of knotted cable chain stitches laced with perle cotton. Next is a double row of knotted cable chain stitches interlaced with heavy novelty thread, used to “couch” a length of silk ribbon. The last row consists of berry and pistil stitches.

Take it Further...

I’m sure anyone reading this already knows about Sharon B’s challenge for 2008, Take it Further. I loved Take a Stitch Tuesday and feel as though I really learned a lot. Being in the group motivated me to push beyond my comfort zone to learn some stitches that I found particularly difficult. Although I’m sorely tempted to participate in next year’s challenge, I’m not sure whether I’ll be able to take the time to complete an extra project per month. In addition to meeting ad deadlines, I have so many projects lined up for 2008... I want to add a new line of Santas with more elaborate costumes, combining embroidery and other embellishments. And both of my web sites are in dire need of some design attention. I would also like to finally launch my Etsy shop. I set it up about a year and a half ago, and still haven’t listed anything. I have pieces that are near completion but just need some final touches… I’m pretty sure the only way to participate in next year’s challenge is if I can, somehow, incorporate the monthly theme into a project on which I’m already working… If that’s not possible, you can be sure I’ll be following along closely, cheering everyone on…

This is Walter...

Walter’s name is of German origin and means “ruler of army.” I realize he’s not your stereotypical military-looking guy, with his pink chenille jacket and floral plissé pants. But he’s carrying a worn old Bible (copyright 1941) and, clearly printed right inside the cover, is the name Walter H. Brown. And he claims that’s him!

His entire outfit is made from vintage textiles, trims, lace and buttons. I added some primitive-looking buttonhole stitches to the seam binding (from my mom’s old sewing box) decorating the hem of his pants.

I experimented with a different kind of wool (Cotswold) for Walter’s beard and am very pleased with it. I liked the other wool I was using very much but there was some fluffy waste – and it gets a little expensive when you can’t use it all. There was no waste at all with this wool.

TAST: Braid Chain Stitch

Yay! I finally did it! And I’m doin’ the happy dance! May it never be said I was defeated by a needle and thread – Oooh, I wax poetic – hehe! I think the trick is to make sure to do the little backward loop at the top of each stitch. If you look at this illustration, you can clearly see that the part of the thread that carries the needle needs to go behind the part of the thread that advances the stitch… It’s an awkward and counterintuitive maneuver for me (maybe because of being left-handed?).

CUTENESS ALERT!!!

DH just photographed this little possum (Didelphis virginiana) in the back yard. Just look at those tender little pink toes… The possum is the only marsupial found in North America.

TAST: Thorn Stitch

This is just a fun stitch! Notice how I skipped right over the chain braid stitch challenge? Well, I did try it - and had disastrous results! I have tried to do it every which way and it just falls apart on me…argh!

TAST: Pekinese Stitch

What a lovely day – very mild – around 70 degrees! I am a little behind on my TAST stitches but was able to take a little time today to play with the pleasantly relaxing Pekinese stitch. In the example below, I used two rows, laced together, to couch down a ribbon.

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Tomorrow, DH and I will be having our traditional veggie lasagna and sparkling cider (we are such party animals!) - and watching our favorite movie (Bernard and the Genie)! I usually put the big Christmas tree up on Thanksgiving Day but we’re not putting it in the living room this year – too much temptation for tiny kittens! It’s going to have to go in another room – with the door closed!

Here is a link to the Flickr group of vintage holiday postcards. There are some beautiful Thanksgiving greetings there… Wow! I just realized there are nearly 2.000 postcards from various holidays in the photo pool!

Birder Santa...

Here's my latest boy. His arms and legs are wired to give him a bit more pose ability. I was fortunate to find the cute camera and binoculars in a Christmas shop in Ocean City last summer. The miniature Audubon book is an EBAY find. Santa will eventually rest on a birch “stump” (as soon as DH cuts it down to size) and then he’ll be photographed for the web site.

Meet Colvert...

His name is English and it means “seaman.” His outfit is made from tea-dyed vintage chenille trimmed with vintage fringe. His hat is trimmed with a scrap of vintage upholstery trim. I found the coolest old coat button with an anchor design in a box of antique buttons from the Florida Keys. I sewed it to an old doily with tatting around the edges and affixed that to his jacket. He is holding a red, white and blue striped buoy and an antique Tuck patriotic naval themed postcard (postmarked 1908). The card is technically a “Decoration Day” card. “Decoration Day” originated shortly after the American Civil War as a day when flowers would be placed on the graves of soldiers to honor them.

Here’s My Story (and I’m sticking to it!)

I’m not sure if anyone remembers him, but this Santa was created a couple of years ago for my Just Clauses web site. Although he was on vacation, he was supposed to be studying the globe to plan his Christmas Eve route. I had to pull him from the site when the globe he was holding unexplainably exploded. To make a long story short, Mrs. Claus had a fit when she discovered Santa had purchased the defective globe from China on the cheap! And the elves were outraged to discover that Santa had been outsourcing some of their work and threatened to go on strike! Well, it was all too much for Santa and it literally drove him to drink! So here he sits, with an empty bottle of Smirnoff’s Citrus Flavored Vodka on his lap. I had to glue him in his deck chair as he is in no condition to walk, let alone drive a sleigh…

I will be uploading him to my Just Clauses site soon. He really needs a home and someone to look after him…

Meet Lobster Claus...

This Santa is a tribute to my wonderful late cousin, Johnny Botello, a fishing boat captain from Massachusetts. I visited his home as a child and can remember seeing just the claw from a giant lobster that he and his crew had caught that seemed to take up most of the dining table! Everyone raved and raved about how delicious it was but I refused to eat it (I have never eaten lobster in my life!) – and his wife, Connie, had to cook a hamburger for me… Yep, I was a little pain in the derrière…

Here are more detailed photos of Santa on my Just Clauses site.

Going Home...

Asaph will be off to his new home, tomorrow... He's a happy boy!


I finally finished the Maine Lobsterman Santa (or Lobster Claus - hehe!) and will try to post a quick picture tomorrow if the rain ends... Now, I'm working on a birder Santa, complete with camera and binoculars...

Gorgeous Quilts for a Worthy Cause…

Australian Homespun and Quilter's Companion magazines are running auctions for two stunningly beautiful quilts to benefit breast cancer research. The links are here and here.

Bjorn and Ursula are Going Home...

- and they are so excited to be heading to their new home out west, tomorrow!

Victoria Magazine is Back!

Woohoo! I just found out that Victoria Magazine has returned! That was my all-time favorite magazine - and I used to practically devour it cover to cover. It went on sale yesterday, so I need to get myself to the bookstore, soon! Did I say Woohoo?

A Little More TAST: Zig Zag Spanish Knotted Stitch, Twisted Satin Stitch & Drizzle Stitch

TAST: Zig Zag Spanish Knotted Stitch

Here’s my first stab(!) at the zig zag Spanish knotted stitch. I like!

Peak Autumn Color Poison Ivy…

These decorative(?) leaves are from a poison ivy vine that climbed up the side of the screen house.

Maine Lobsterman's Hat...

Well, here we are in the last week of October. Hopefully, the finished Shanty Claus dolls will be photographed and uploaded to the web site before too long. Both of my web sites are in need of major upgrades. I’m currently working on a new Santa for my Just Clauses site. I haven’t made one of those in awhile… and I really wanted to get back to them. He’s going to be a Maine lobsterman, sitting on a replica wooden lobster trap that I purchased in a shop on the Ocean City boardwalk. I added wire to his arms and legs for flexibility. I spent the day before yesterday creating his hat – that meant drafting an original pattern and figuring out how to put it together. I originally had interfacing in the brim but that made it too stiff – so out it came! Then it was back to the drawing board… Anyway, I finally finished it – see below. I’m working on his jacket, next... Lord knows, I do have fun with this stuff!

Delmar (on Shore Leave)

The origin of Delmar’s name is Latin and it means “of the sea.” He is wearing a jacket and cap made from tea-stained vintage chenille. His pants are made from a vintage piece of decorator fabric with a shell design. His cap is edged with a shabby piece of old upholstery trim. I attached a really neat vintage wooden toggle button to his jacket. The button was found in an old tin of buttons from an antique store in the Florida Keys. I always wonder what stories these buttons could tell…

On his lap is an antique nautically themed Christmas postcard depicting a life preserver and rope. The colors in the postcard very subtly echo the pale teal of Delmar’s outfit.

Playing with Lutradur and Lace…

Here’s the start of my little experiment with the lutradur and lace project in the premier issue of Fibre & Stitch (what a great zine!). I’m not sure whether to add more layers of paint first or just start adding stitches and beads…