Sunday, April 24, 2011

Happy Easter!


On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, 
the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 
but when they entered, 
they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  
While they were wondering about this, 
suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  
In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, 
but the men said to them, 
"Why do you look for the living among the dead?  
He is not here; he has risen!  
Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 
'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, 
be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'" 
Matthew 24: 1-7

Blessings to you on this beautiful day!

Thursday, April 21, 2011


Sorry for the delay, here are the finished pinwheel coasters.  Not great, but they will do for now.


And this is some of what I did today...


Listened to some tunes while I worked...(I got the tip from Real Simple to put the iPod in a bowl if you don't have speakers.  It actually works pretty well and is super cheapo!)



A whole lot of bias tape made for new aprons today.  
Only one apron got (mostly) made (still needs pockets!).
Ah well.

Hope you had a lovely day!
Blessings

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

waiting for me

It's story time folks!  

I have to warn you that this is another one that rates extremely high on the "uncomfortable meter", so I'm not sure how long it will be up.  Here goes...

My "quiet time" reading, praying, etc. has been severely lacking to non-existant lately.  Yesterday an image came to me as I made the conscious decision not to read/pray/etc., but to watch Netflix and cut up shirts to make aprons.  I was walking past the living room - and that's when it came to me.

Jesus was sitting on the couch waiting for me.  (Not in a scary, stalker kind of way, but a friend/lover/I-want-to-be-around-you kind of way)  
I saw Him there and I looked at Him for a long minute.  Then I turned away and went to do something totally irrelevant.


Today I came and sat down on the couch.  I am so glad I did.

Thank you God, for waiting so long for me.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Pinwheels



I think I've caught the quilting bug...perhaps it is because I listen to so many quilting podcasts, or it could be the recent discovery of a quilting shop in the area that is so very quaint and nice! (if you are ever in the New Orleans area, check out The Quilted Owl...well worth the trip!)

Whatever the source, I have indeed got the preverbal bee in the preverbal bonnet. (sorry, I've been watching a lot of Psych, and I start to talk funny when I do that - there is random fact #8 about me, to follow up on yesterdays post...)

So, where were we...ah, yes, quilting.


I made my first pinwheels!


I used scraps from shirts I have turned into aprons.  Hand quilting was going to be how these were sewn together, but I was very impatient and only had a small window of time before the hubby and baby got home, so, the machine it was...



I've seen buttons/widget (what are those things really called?) about The Process Pledge, and I think it's a very neat idea - so I'm going to try to remember to take more pictures during the actual making.
Oh, and multi-colored Christmas lights (who are we kidding here folks, these are YEAR ROUND lights) are my      F-A-V-O-R-I-T-E (random fact #9, I'm on a roll here!) (and you thought this was going to be about quilting...)


Not perfect, but also not too shabby for my first try.  I love the colors together.  
That is what I think it so fun about using vintage/thrifted materials - there is no buying a whole line together, or coordinating fabrics.  You just have to make it up as you go along.


So there I was, with 2 random and slightly imperfect blocks.  I am a function person, so it's difficult for me to make something just for practice.  I need to "make" something.  
Enter in scraps of a vintage sheet....and hello coasters!


I also machine quilted.  And didn't snip any threads in my impatience.  Well, lesson learned.

What?  A picture of the finished project, you ask?  Hmmm.  Of course I don't have one yet (picture, that is, the project is finished).  This is where the boys came home.  

I'm afraid you'll just have to stay tuned until tomorrow - 

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Aw Shucks...

Hello All - 

I promise I will get to what has been going on around here...when things slow down a little!

In the meantime - Andee has very kindly awarded me with the Versatile Blogger award!!!  Thank you so much Andee!  



I am to list 7 random things about myself and pass the award to 2 more bloggers.  So here goes:

1. I wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up
2. My favorite ice cream toppings are peanut butter, chocolate syrup and cheerios (that's even when I'm not pregnant) ;)
3.  New craft ideas usually come to me as I'm washing the dishes or falling asleep
4. I'm an only child
5. Easter is my favorite holiday
6. The longest I've ever lived in one place was 7 years
7. I wear contacts


And the 2 lovely bloggers are:

Isabela of Ooh Leela!  Isabela has some great tutorials, round-ups and a super cute shop!  Go say hello!


And Georgia of Stitchlings.  Unfortunately I'm not sure how much longer Georgia will be blogging...but she will still be on Flickr, so be sure to check out her work there.  She does amazing stitch work!!!


More soon...Blessings until then!


Thursday, April 14, 2011

Packages!

I recently received some lovely packages in the mail!


FINALLY....finally I have labels to put on/in all my aprons, bags, etc.!  
They look fantastic and arrived so quickly.
If you are in need of some labels (among many other things!) I highly recommend you visit Michelle at Inked Papers.


Soon after that...this pretty little thing arrived:


The packaging is so springy!


And it held this awesome laptop case!  I LOVE the fabric Jean chose for this.  You can find more lovely items in Jean's shop Quilted Cupcake.


Go check out these great shops!

Monday, April 11, 2011

Hello All!  We are back up and running!  A bit has happened here while I was computerless - and I'll be sharing that soon, but today, we get to meet the lovely Andee of Bearing Fruit!



So grab a nice cuppa whatever it is you are drinking these days (Irish Breakfast Tea for me!) and enjoy the discussion with Andee!

Hello Andee - It's so good to have you here.  Let's jump right in, shall we?

Hi Daphne!  Thanks so much for having me over for a visit.

I love your collages Andee, they are so colorful and cheerful.  Could you share a little bit with us about your creative process?



Sure! I usually get inspired when I am reading my Bible or when I'm
journaling.  I have those moments sometimes where I am reading and
then a verse jumps out at me.  I might journal about it or meditate on
its meaning.  I then get to drawing. Mostly, I use little figures as
my main "characters" in the pieces.  So at this point, I draw the
little figure out in graphite pencil and then color her or him  in
with colored pencil.  Next I paint thin washes of acrylic paint mixed
with a medium over the colored pencil.  Then I cut my figure out with
an x-acto knife.  While I am doing this, I usually am thinking about
background colors.  I might have already prepped a surface or maybe
not.  If I haven't already, at this point I prep and paint my
background.  Once I have my figure cut out, I start playing with the
placement of the collaged elements and the figure on the page.  I get
to ripping up papers.  I play with text.  I print stuff out on the
computer or I paint the words by hand.  Once I get everything where I
like it, I use matte medium to affix my collaged elements to my
surface.

I actually took this superfab online class with Suzi Blu who totally
inspired me with her awesome techniques. I learned how to do the
technique of using colored pencil and then paint over the figure from
Suzi.  I highly recommend her classes.  She's a great teacher.


Wow - sometimes scripture does that same thing to me!  Your characters are so fun and your technique is so interesting - thank you for sharing!
In addition to the collages, I notice that you are sewing.  Can you tell us a little about that?  Is there anywhere we can find your sewn items?

Well, when I first started to blog, I was painting and doing a great
deal of the mixed media pieces.  But as I am sure you know, Daphne,
creativity doesn't always follow a straight path!   So here I am, I'm
painting.  And I get this bee in my bonnet to make this purse.  So I
go into the stash and there it is, my pattern and fabric that was
planning to make oh-so-long ago. I make the green purse.

What can I tell you Daphne, except I was off and running!

Once I sat in front of that sewing machine, it was like coming home.
I used to sew when I was in 8th and 9th grade in a home ec class.  But
I had long since stopped sewing.  I had been feeling a bit stuck in my
mixed media paintings.  I started to sew, and suddenly inspiration was
everywhere.

As for where you can buy the sewn pieces I am making, I haven't
officially set up shop yet.  I am taking custom orders for friends and
friends of friends.  But truth be told, I can't make things fast
enough to actually accumulate them to put them up in an online shop,
craft fair, or brick and mortar.  But stay tuned, you never know...!
I guess in the meantime if someone I wants a custom order, they can
e-mail me.

It is true that creativity seems to wind its way through our lives.  Your sewn items are just as lovely as your paintings so I think you're on the right track! ;)  Now on to somethings I'm a little curious about...

You've given us a few glances into your rockabilly history (which I LOVE!), what is one other thing we might not know about you?
Hmm...that's a really good question!  Well, here's a bunch of things
you probably didn't know about me (in no particular order)
1.  In college, I dyed my hair all the time, and one time I dyed my
bangs green.  I dyed them back to my natural color because the bangs
were clashing with a lot of my outfits!
2.  I pierced my own left ear 4 times when I was in 8th grade-the old
fashioned way: with an ice cube and one of those earrings that they
pierce your ears with at the mall that's sharp as a point on one end.
3.  I speak French and Italian.
4.  I also dyed my bangs purple!
- What is it with me and the bangs? -

What are some new techniques or crafts you're interested in but haven't tried yet?
I am fascinated with (in no particular order) quilting, crocheting and
embroidery.  Right now, I'm on a sewing jag. There's all this great
stuff to sew, so I may never stop long enough to try somethin' new.
Although, if the need comes up, I'll get busy.  That's what happened
when Mr. Handsome (my fond name for my husband) wanted a handmade
scarf.



I resurrected my knitting needles (I had made one half of a scarf once
about 5 years ago and dropped the pursuit)  But those babies were back
in my hands in no time and away I went.  Big thanks to elseffo at
YouTube for reminding me what to do once I cast on.  It was a comedy
show, really.  Me playing the same 2 minutes of the video over and
over so I could do it along with the instruction.



Are there any crafty classes/trips/pursuits coming up for you this summer?
Does September count?  If it does, then let me tell you about this
awesome event I'm going to: Blog Sugar. It's a one day event in
Southern California for faith based bloggers.  But they explain it way
better on their blog.  So I quote them here:  "Rachel  (the founder of
Blog Sugar) has realized that there was and still is a need for
bloggers to come together, talk social media and renew their passion
for WHY they blog.   And Rachel has a desire to provide an atmosphere
for each and every blog-lovin' person.  People desire to be purposeful
and intentional about what they do and Blog Sugar was created to come
along side bloggers and encourage them in the journey the Lord has
them on.  Inspire. Teach. Grow.  That is why Blog Sugar exists."



What is your favorite source of inspiration?
I get inspired by what's around me.  And from these, I can't pick one
favorite.  Here are a few:
1.  walking in nature
2.  walking in the hills by my house
3.  thinking about making cool 1950s dresses, or looking at cool 1950s images
4.  looking at fun things other people make.  I am really into looking
at anything someone sews, especially if the fabric is patterned.  I
also have a major crush on anything felted.
5.  i love typography, graphic design and letterpress

But most of all, I get inspired in the morning when I sit and hang
with my One and only.  He teaches me, He guides me, and He loves me.
Unconditionally.  Plus, a lot of times, I'll be journaling and I'll
get ideas to make something.


I even got the idea and all the how-tos to make a bride-to-be nightie
when I was in my quiet time!  I got inspired, and in between reading
verses, I started sketching out designs and figured out how to make it
using a store-bought bra, some ribbons and some sheer fabric.


I'm always curious about where people create, could you describe your studio/creative space for us?
The space that I am actually in is totally makeshift.  We just moved
about two months ago and are in the midst of putting the finishing
touches on everything. But, with that said, we are blessed to have a
guesthouse behind our little bungalow.  We call it the 'casita.'  It's
a small space, and it has two little rooms plus a bathroom.  Mr.
Handsome has his study in one room, and my craft room is in the other
room. Truth be told, I haven't gotten to spiffin' up my space yet.  I
have been deliberately taking my time to put it together so I can see
what I really want and what I need.  As I am continuing to work in
here, I'm just about ready to start pulling it all together.

The barebones of it is: on one wall of the room I have my computer
table with my scanner and printer and assorted officey things in bins
below the table.  I turn 180 degrees in my chair and I am facing my
do-everything table.  This is where I sew.  It's also where I cut out
papers and collage stuff.

If I look out the window, I see our gorgeous lemon tree.  We are
planning to plant a vegetable garden in front of the casita.  So the
garden is pretty lovely.  And we are working on that too.

If I had to pick one phrase to describe it all, I'd say "work-in-progress."


What is your favorite holiday, and why?
My favorite holiday is Christmas.  I love what it means.  I love what
we are celebrating.  I love the family time.  I love Christmas music,
the decorations, the lights, the festive atmosphere.  Especially now
that Mr. Handsome and I are married ( we celebrate our one year
anniversary on May 29th!)  It's a whole new adventure together. We are
starting family traditions of our own.  Yay.  Christmas rocks.



Your faith really shines through in your work, do you have any advice for those of us that would like to mesh our faith and creativity more?
That is an awesome compliment Daphne!

I was a bit torn in the beginning about just how much of myself to
share on the blog.  I mean, my main idea was to blog about my crafts.
But I blog about me.  And I'm about God.  My initial posts where I'd
mention my faith were treading lightly on the subject.  I would never
want to come off as "preachy."  Meanwhile, I'm looking at a lot of
blogs in my spare time.  And more and more I find myself being drawn
in to those where the women showed their love of their creative side
blended with their faith.  I started to be moved to share a bit more.
I prayed about it and asked God how.  He started to guide me through
it.  I'm still on the journey.

I would say to anyone who would like to do anything on your blog, be
true.  Be true to the person that God made you to be.  It's been so
much easier for me to just be me on my blog, rather than be me but
only-sorta-and-only-kinda-blog-about-my
faith-but-not-really-so-I-don't-offend-anyone.
Whew, I'm exhausted just writing that run-on sentence!

One thing I can say that I really connect with people who are
authentically real on their blogs.  I have found some blogs that just
move me deeply because they are so honest and true.  I was just
reading today about a guy who had a blog.  His wife had a baby and
then she died the next day, or maybe even the same day the baby was
born.  He was gonna close up the blog, but then it sort of became his
daughter's 'baby book' and he began blogging about his life as a
single dad, who loved his daughter and really,really missed his wife.
I can't wait to read his blog.  From what I can tell, this guy and I
may not see eye-to-eye on a lot of 'stuff', but I can really dig that
he is bein' real.

That's what it's all about.

Bein' real.
Well, it certainly shows in your work and on your blog!  Thank you so much for spending some time with us here today and answering all my goofy questions!  It's been great talking with you Andee!

Thanks again so much for having me over Daphne!  It's been really fun
catching up.

Head on over to Andee's blog and say hello!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Monday Monday (or Tuesday...)

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to let you know that I should have a computer Monday or Tuesday!

I haven't got a whole lot done, but I'll be sharing all that in a few days on e I'm back in business with a real computer!

Until then,
Blessings