Valentine Postcards

I took part in a Valentine postcard swap - and Oh Boy, did I get some great cards!

This first one is from Marja in the Netherlands.  She made such a pretty card with what looks like felting and Tyvek.

She also included the cutest little felted bag.  I'm thinking one day there will be a doll who will love this bag!

My "Secret" Valentine was from Sharon.  She was having so much fun embellishing this card she couldn't stop!  I think it looks perfect.

There are fabric hearts, and heart buttons, and gold hearts and pearl hearts.  She called it Marrakesh Romance. 

The envelope had a whole handful of little hearts in it as well.  Plus the cutest little Cuddlepie pin!

I sent off a couple of Valentines myself but I think I got the best part of this deal.  Here is a (bad) pic of what I sent out.

Something in the light made these look much more orange than they really were. 

Next postcard swap?  Go Green!

Stars & Strips

Nope, that's not a typo.  What I mean is A Strip of Stars!

This is (part of) the first strip in a quilt guild project.  We are being given a star block pattern each month and are to make a strip using that pattern.  We won't know what the forthcoming strips look like and we don't know what the finished project will look like until the end. 

Choice of fabrics and colors is up to us, so I rustled through my stash.  I happen to have LOTS of blue!  It's my Mom's favorite color, so most of the stash I got from her has blue in it.  Here's my chance to lower the level of that pile!

I really like how the blocks form a square in square when they are put together!   I now have the next star pattern.  Time to get sewing!

Wednesday WOW - February 24

Let me see . . . I can see two projects in progress here.  And a fabric postcard I received today.  If you like this shot, just wait until you see the close-up!  But not yet.  I'm behind on my Traveling Page for this month and I have to keep my shoulder to the grindstone - so to speak!

I'm Having A Birthday

Oh wait!  I already had it!!  So, the best part?  Getting Birthday Postcards, of course!!

From Sheila (no blog),

From Lorna,

From Sue (no blog.  Is that right, Sue?),

From Gina,

From Cindy,

and from Joy.

They are all so different - and sooooo pretty!  Thank you so much, ladies.  It really makes for a special birthday!

Wednesday WOW - February 17

Er - OK, I'm a little bit late!  Last night was quilt guild and I just plain ran out of time!  Spent most of the afternoon on embroidery while listening to Quilt Out Loud videos.  Not a bad way to spend a winter afternoon, huh?

Me and Bobby McGee

Now there's a title that brings the '60's to your mind, doesn't it?  I do apologize if you find the tune running through your head now.  I've been trying to get rid of it for a month or more!

The Bobby part of this post is my latest cloth doll.  You've seen previews of her and you'll be pleased to hear she is finished!

Bobby is for my doll club's "traveling" project this year.  Each month, she will go home with a different club member and spend time with them and their family - cloth and flesh!  While she is gone, a different dolly friend will come to stay with me each month. 

The dolls will all have a notebook or journal/scrapbook of some kind, so we can write about their visit and add photos of places we see and things we do.  Sounds like a lot of fun . . . and a little scary, too!

This is Bobby's scrapbook.  In a moment of madness, I decided to make her book completely by hand!  Well, I did take that journal making class last year.  It has to be good for something!

I painted some pages, and grabbed some used envelopes along with scrapbook and artsy papers and made the book.  I forgot to count, but I'm thinking around 30 pages or so.  Pages that are dark colors or heavily textured have a square of lined writing paper attached. 

The front cover is made with fabric and just inside is a scrapbook accessory Passport with exactly the right number of pages (I think).  It was so cool to find that!

And the back cover is actually a box!  So there is a "safe" place for Bobby to stay when she's not visiting.  Finding this box was real serendipity.  I was dreading having to make a box or stand for Bobby, when an item that's been on backorder arrived in a little box of exactly the right size!!!  The box is 10 x 7 and you can see that Bobby tucks inside just right.

So, Bobby is all ready to set off on her travels, guitar in hand of course.  She should be gone about a year and I can't wait to see what kind of adventures she has.  In the meantime, though, I can't wait to see who is coming to visit me!

Thank you! and a Preview

Thanks to everyone for all the loving "get well" comments!  You guys are awesome!  Although I'm still feeling pretty - er - bad, I'm slowly getting back into the workroom and some progress has been made.   While I'm putting together a (hopefully) coherent post, here is a little sneak preview.

Yep.  Bobby is finished.  Stay tuned for photos.

Wednesday -- No WOW?

Sorry, but I've been laid low by the crud for last couple of days. No finishes, no pictures, very little progress! Pretty sure I'm using up Kleenex tissues faster than Kimberley Clark can make them. If this keeps up we may have a worldwide shortage. Better stock up now while you can!

I'll be back when I can breathe again. Promise

A Door Opened . . .

and my first Traveling Page arrived!

This was created by Elizabeth for my theme of Doors.  Isn't it lovely?  I just love it, but especially the vine around the door which I've always wanted to have!  And check out that tiny frog just to the lower left!

When you use the key to open this door, this is what you will find:

"Every exit leads to a new entrance."  How true!  And the collage behind the door is so inviting!  I wish I could step through.

And on the reverse:

What a wonderful fabric and how appropriate is that for a door?

Elizabeth did a great job of embroidery and felting (I think?) and created a great doorway to remind me that Spring will come eventually.  Here is a close-up so you can see that she used both machine and hand embroidery.

Oh look!  There's my friend the frog again!

I'm so glad I chose Doors as my theme.  It has many good associations and inspiration.  And if anyone watched the HBO movie Temple Grandin this weekend, you are probably thinking about doors in a new way now!  Dr. Grandin is autistic and the film uses doors as a device to illustrate the amazing steps she took to build a productive life.  The title of this post is taken from the movie, "A door opened and I went through it."

Thanks so much, Elizabeth. 

Sticky Fingers

That's what you get when you glue very small pieces.  And I did!

I needed a guitar for my current doll.  Searched the toy aisles with no luck.  Looked at fabric prints, but too small.  Then I did what I should have done in the first place -- an internet search!

I found a great site that seemed to be made exactly for me!  It's called (appropriately enough) Paper Guitar.com!  You can download PDF files for the model of guitar you are interested in.  Heck, you could have a whole band!

Of course, the catch is that you then will have to cut out all the little pieces, including tiny tabs, and glue the whole thing together.  I used a glue stick, thinking it might be less messy.  Hmmph.  I certainly wouldn't want to try anything more messy!

But - voila!  My Stars and Stripes Les Paul electric guitar!  (Still a few details to be stuck on - those are easy!)

And here is Bobby sitting on the laptop keyboard and giving it a try.  Yes, this should do nicely. 

There is more to be done before she is finished . . . shoes, jewelry, and a guitar strap.  You'll get the full story soon.

Wednesday WOW - February 3

Star blocks for a quilt guild project.  If I could count higher than four, these would be done!  Ah well.  It's close and will be done in plenty of time for guild.  We'll get the next blocks then.