Happy Holidays!!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and that the new year brings you all lots of magic, prosperity, health and happiness!!!

These are little ornaments i made for an ornament swap at my work. I had to make eight of them. They were so much fun.

The pattern is from Frowning Francis designs. She has the cutest patterns.

http://frowningfrancisfolkart.com/

Sorry the pics are so bad.

They didn't want to be photographed. I guess they are shy little bugs LOL

Wanna Play?????

I finally got a little sewing time in.

What was suppose to be a quick project turned out to be a two week project. But I finally got her finished. :o)

This is little Susie - she is a puppy I made as a get well present for a friend of mine.

I had a little time to get into my studio. What a mess!!

My daughter has been in there drawing and making jewelry and eating!!!! Yes eating - I found snack wrappers and drink cans. Grrrrrrrr!!

Anyway as I was trying to clean it up so I could have space on my desk to work - I got so distracted looking at all my fabric, ribbons, beads, etc. and thinking about all the things I want to do .... Well it is not clean yet. Hopefully I will get it cleaned this weekend.

I have so many little bears and dolls dancing in my head trying to get out.

I still haven't figured out how to balance working and having sewing time. Maybe if I get my studio cleaned up it will make it easier. I have never been a very organized person. LOL

Can anyone believe that it is already mid November?!! Where did the year go? It just seemed to fly by!!

HELLO~~~

Did any one miss me?? :o)

I haven't posted to my blog in so long. My life sorta turned upside down in May. My hubby retired from the Navy after 20yrs and I have gone back to work full time.

I haven't been in my studio since. There just doesn't seem to be enough time to be creative. I really miss making things!

I finally did get a chance to finish this little mini bear pincushion. I started him in April.

The pincushion is a Victorian style that is all hand embroidered and beaded. The fabric is a beautiful soft yellow with pink/red roses and a red and white toile fabric. The miniature bear is apx. 2" (not including his hat) with a beaded hat and neck ruffle that match the pincushion.

The pincushion also has hand-made tassels on it and a hand made flower pin.

So hopefully I will get a chance to finish up some of my other projects and start some of the ones that are rattling around in my brain!!! :o)

This is my version of Tweedle Dee.

She is a silly little bird.

She is a new pattern by elinor peace bailey.

I think she is the cutest thing!

I had a little trouble following the directions so she didn't go together quite right but I love her anyway! :o) (I am not good at following directions or reading patterns LOL)

The pattern is really fun and goes together really fast.

It comes with a pre-printed face. I choose not to use it and drew the face that came with the pattern.

If you want to see elinor's patterns they are here.

http://shop.epbdolls.net/main.sc

And the pre printed face fabric is here.

http://shop.epbdolls.net/product.sc?categoryId=-1&productId=168

A pincushion re-do

I wasn't happy with the flowers I made for this little guy so I made him some new flowers.

I like them much better and I think the little bear does too. He seems to have a bigger smile now :o)

I also relisted him in my Etsy shop

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10055407

Mr Reginald Eggelsworth the III

But he likes to be called Reggie.

Reggie may look like a tough old bird but he really is a good egg and has quite a sense of humor.

(You would too if you had to walk around with no pants LOL)

Reggie is a pin doll made for an eggsactly pin doll swap.

Sometimes it is so fun to make something a bit odd or oval in this case :o)

Finally something new!!!

These are my new pincushions.

They are little mouse and eggs.

The little pink mouse is made from a hand-dyed velvet fabric and the purple mouse is made from a vintage upholstery fabric,

The pincushions are apx. 2" wide by 3" tall.

They are available in my Etsy shop

The pink one is here

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11585391

The purple one is here

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11584977

A little fairy and a flower pincushion.

This is my newest pincushion. It is a flower with a little fairy.

The fairy is attached to a hat pin so she is actually removable.

Oh Look I do make dolls :o)

This is a mermaid that I made sometime last year. I think she is the last doll that I completely finished.


I have been dreaming of dolls lately.
I want to make one but not sure what kind.
Do I want to make another mermaid? A fairy? A pretty doll? A primitive doll or A ???????
I just don't know.

Where do you find inspiration?

Sometimes I like to just look through pattern shops
Like http://clothdollpatterns.com/ or http://www.dollmakersjourney.com/
Although I find myself wanting to buy patterns.
I realize that I buy patterns because I want to own the doll on the cover. I rarely ever make the doll.
I also like to look around the cloth doll connection http://www.clothdollconnection.com/
There is always something fun to look at there.
Sometimes I like to blog surf and see what others are doing.
(You can follow one of the rings listed on the left of my blog)
And then there is google.
Aw google - How did we ever get along without it? LOL

I also made a new pincushion.
It is in my etsy shop.
It is a retro rusty mouse and cheese.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10702479

Anyway off to find some inspiration!

And some more pincushions!

I had some fun making these. The colors are so wild.

These are my little retro pincushions.

My kids are on spring break this week.

I am waiting for them to get "bored" - cuz there is sooooo much yard work to do! LOL

So far they have been keeping themselves busy!

And guess what else????????

The house is clean!!!!! I don't know yet what they want but they have been picking up after themselves!!! Yeah!

We'll just wait and see what the rest of the week is like! :o)

Hazel is getting ready to pick the winner!
























Hey I wanna help too!!!!!

























Ok Lets open it!!!!





























WOW Look at all those names!!!






















And the winner is.................





































Jacque Utz of Jacque's Creative Corner

Congratulations Jacque!!!

I want to thank everyone for entering and your lovely comments.
This was so much fun. (Maybe some day I'll get to 100 entries and do it again :0)

Thank you all for the anniversary wishes too.
My husband is taking Friday off so we can celebrate.



Now back to my studio!

"May I have some cheese please?"
New Mouse and Cheese Pincushion

I am having so much fun making these little pincushions.

This little cutie mouse is very low maintenance.
He even likes to listen to when you sing!
Little mouse is made out of a vintage upholstery velvet and his "cheese" is made out of a gold with metallic accent cotton.
The little pins are handmade straight pins that have been decorated with a dark red velvet.
The piece is apx 3.5" long and 2" tall (not including mousie) He is apx 1".

There is still a couple of more days before I draw the winner for the chocolate bunny.

Your name will be entered for every comment you make!

Just Because Giveaway!!!!!!!
Win a Chocolate Easter Bunny Pincushion!

I decided to have a little contest just because.....

I feel really happy :o)

My muse seems to have come back....and I actually have been able to make some things,

It is almost Spring....(The wild daffodils have bloomed in our front yard)

My 19th Wedding anniversary is on the 19th of March...

It is Easter time and

I always appreciate the wonderful comments you all leave me! :o)

So leave a comment on this post and you will be entered to win this little chocolate bunny (no calories or fat by the way LOL) pincushion.

I will pick the winner on Wednesday or Thursday.

A Fairy Mouse Pincushion.

This sweet little mouse is all dressed up as a fairy.

She wears wired and beaded purple wings, a matching neck ruffle and a tiny fairy crown.

The base of the pincushion is made from vintage upholstery velvet and ribbon.

This piece is available in my etsy shop.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10178208

These pincushions are so much fun to make. I have ideas for several more.

Two New Pincushions!!

I played all day and finished up these little pincushions.

The first one is a little mouse. Perhaps he is a wizard. He is holding a star wand pin.

The orange fabric is a vintage velvet upholstery fabric. It is the original color. Can you imagine having a couch or chair that color! Wow

This one is my favorite so far.

It is available on etsy

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10081982

The second one is also available on etsy

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10081783

He is made out of the same fabrics as the one I posted yesterday but put together in a slightly different way.

I was asked how big these are.

The bear pincushions measure 4" tall. The bear itself is 2.5"

The mouse pincushion measures 5" tall. The mouse is 3" including its hat.

A New Pincushion

This is my latest pincushion.

I love pincushions!! And I love making these!!

This little guy will keep you company as well as hold your pins.

The teddy measures apx 2.5" The entire piece measures apx 4"

This piece is available in my etsy store.

There are also more photos and a better description there.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10055407

I am making a series of these all slightly different. Some very different :o)

I have 3 more in various stages of completion.

Hopefully I will have a little mouse standing on an orange base finished tomorrow. He is so whimsical and cute!

Would you like a little cheese with that mouse? :o)

This is Chester Mouse. He loves cheese!!!!

He wonders if he bribes the little mouse with a small slice of cheese it will trade with him. Doesn't seem fair that the wee mouse gets the bigger slice!

Now come on wee pincushion mouse trade with me! Well can you at least share?

PANIC BEAR

This is a little bear I just finished for a Christmas present. (Ok so I'm running a little late LOL)

My son (he is 17) designed this bear for his friend.

She is a huge fan of the band Widespread Panic - http://www.widespreadpanic.com/ - so he wanted a "panic" bear for a gift for her.

The logo on Panic's tummy is called the Note Eater.

Panic bear is axp 5" and made out of mohair with an ultra suede tummy inset and paw pads. The appliques are made out of velvet and suede.

I have been tagged!
By Sherrie of http://sympletymes.blogspot.com/ and
Laura Lynn of http://teddiesbylauralynn.blogspot.com/

Now I must share 5 interesting things about my self that no one knows.

1) I look and feel like that picture in the morning until I have coffee and wake up.
2) I love and collect strange vintage looking bobble head Halloween decorations.
3) I make up and sing weird songs on a whim. (I don't sing very well so it drives my family crazy!)
4) I love all types of styles - vintage, primitive, anime, traditional, quirky etc. And I have several projects in various mediums started in each of these categories.
5) I have two dogs that follow me around and are always touching the back of my knee. When I turn around to walk in a different direction it is like pushing a revolving door.

Now I'm suppose to pick people that I would like to know more about, so tag you're it! Please list five things about yourself & then tag five other friends.

Kerry http://starfinmaidenartjourney.blogspot.com/
Patti http://patti-lavalley-designs.blogspot.com/
JudiA http://leapingcalf.blogspot.com/
Linda http://linda-artandmore.blogspot.com/
Helen http://helldg.blogspot.com/