Christmas Ornament #3

Pink hearts are always good for Christmas or Valentine's day. Here is my next installment on hand sewn felt Christmas ornaments. This is a heart with beading. I used recycled beads my daughter had removed from a formal. The whole point of these ornaments is to use what I have on hand and not run out for more supplies.



I ran into a few snags since I didn't use a super thin beading needle. I would suggest using one if you make this at home. This is so simple that I don't feel that you need a pattern to make one yourself.

See you later,

Karen

Things I will do with scraps!

I know, I have pinned a bunch of things that I will do with scraps....lots of ideas. Well, I have started looking at different ideas and I have come up with some ideas that I definitely want to do...and some that I have tried. So here we go!

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400"] http://www.modabakeshop.com/2010/07/his-hers-personalized-baby-quilts.html[/caption]

I have this things for quilts. I like these but in a large size without the names. Unless it is our last name.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="307"] http://selvageblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/world-quilt-giveaway.html[/caption]

This quilt is gorgeous! I must have one soon. I think that I would use fabric strips but not selvages.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400"] http://www.i-do-it-yourself.com/2008/11/spools-bird-softies/[/caption]

I can just imagine what my family would say. I love the birds and the different fabrics that they are sewn out of. What a great idea for Christmas ornaments! Hmmm...I would love  a tree like this in my den. It would be fun and light hearted!

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] http://nanacompany.typepad.com/nanacompany/2011/08/-playing-with-dresdens.html[/caption]



I love this quilt, it is only surpassed by the ticker tape quilts.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="549"] http://sewfun2quilt.blogspot.com/2010/05/ticker-tape-quiltsgreat-scrap-buster.html[/caption]

I just found these place mats. I have just decided since we moved that I need to replace ours. These are gorgeous and I could get the feel of what it is like to make a ticker tape quilt before I commit to cutting out all those little squares. I could also see how it wears.



and this....

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] http://www.mygirlthursday.com/2011/05/diy-scrap-busting-pot-holders.html[/caption]

and then there are  these....

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="728"] https://sew4home.com/projects/table-linens/kitchen-confections-modas-vintage-modern-patchwork-napkins[/caption]

Well, I had better stop. The list is going on forever. I think this is turning into a form of procrastination.

See you later,

Karen

 

 

 

Christmas Ornament

Here is another Christmas ornament. I sewed this using the same pattern as the star. I love this little house it is so cute.



I know that some of the embroidery is wonky but I think it just adds to the handmade look. I really like the shape of the roof on the cottage.

see you next week.

Karen

 

Find Your Voice

Find your voice, find out who you are. These are both phrases that designers and artists hear constantly. This is somewhat true. I say somewhat because true artists change and grow. I would use the word evolve but I think it is over used these days. I like the word grow because it is a truer picture of what we are doing as artists. Perhaps it is a choice determined by marketplace. We have to make a choice based on economics,

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="570"] http://www.etsy.com/listing/103093232/baltimore-album-style-wall-hanging-quil[/caption]

what we are creating isn't selling, or the market is flooded. Many times artists grow as they master advanced techniques or decide to grow in a particular direction. Almost all artists struggle with paying bills and making creations that will sell. I say almost because there are the few that create for themselves, but they will at some point run out of room on their walls for more paintings and you can only wear so many scarves or hats.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="570"] http://www.etsy.com/listing/98296729/watermelon-malaysia-jade-and-dark-brown[/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="570"] http://www.etsy.com/listing/61198767/miss-elsie-mouse-archival-print-nursery[/caption]

So, the problem is how do we listen to the marketplace and still be true to the artist inside us. It is a fine line. The bottom line for me is do I enjoy creating it (whatever "it" is) and are people willing to purchase my creations.  I have read the Quit your Day Job posts on Etsy. I have read many of them over the years and the thought throughout all of the posts is "Follow your passion". Are you passionate about what you are creating? Would you create it regardless of what the world says? How to make it marketable is another question for another day. So find your voice, create what makes you happy. Why spend your time making things that you do not have a passion about! Why create things that make you frustrated or worried. Your joy in creating and your passion in your art will translate itself into sales. If you wonder why on earth anyone would pay for "it", you should not be trying to sell "it". If you create something and then say "I love it" this is great. I have such a hard time selling this because I love it so much. Then you are on the right track.

Talk to you later,

Karen

Do you agree or disagree?

 

Christmas Sneak peak

Here is a sneak peak at a Christmas ornament that I have been working on the past several weeks. I have been making several so this is just one. I love the non-traditional colors in this one. It is hand sewn with embroidery floss.



I would love to say that I came up with the idea on my own but the truth is that I used a vintage Vogue pattern for this lovely ornament.

See you later,

Karen

 

The Flower Sampler

I love this embroidery that my Aunt completed. It hung in my Mom's house for years and it is a lovely sampler piece of many different types of embroidery. I am in the process of re-framing it. My Aunt wanted to see some photos of it and sharing it with you seemed the best way.







 



This is just a gorgeous piece of needlework. It is so bright, happy and cheerful.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope all is well at your house.

Karen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday: Goal Check 1!

Here we are another Monday. I am running a goal check. This helps keep me on track and remind me that I AM reaching those goals and actually doing something!

Business goals:

• Finish three two afghans (I have two left to finish this goal. Currently I have three afghans started....

 

The zig zag chevron stripe is finished. The one on top is started....and I have a granny striped started in my new yarns, and a sampler granny square afghan started.

• Start three more afghans


• Sew 50+ cup cozies in new styles ( I prepare for the holiday buying season in advance, because I also home school.)


• Sew the 30+ new items I need him to photograph


• Make the new Christmas items....


• Blog more consistently (I have been writing ahead and found my blog planning pages...)


• Write a business plan

Family goals:

• Take two summery day trips every week


• Make some meals for the freezer for THOSE days when I just really need them (one lasagna down...)


• Help K get her things ready for College.... (two major things marked off our list.)


• Take T for driving practice


• Exercise (walked and/or exercised three times last week.  YAY!)


• Make the kitchen a better place to be, using things I already have. (It seems small and I really have to work at loving being in there.)


• Make the curtains in the living room fit the windows better and the hems the same length (I put these curtains up super quick when I realized that the bamboo shades are see through at night with the lights on.) 

Rather lofty goals aren't they. I also have some personal ones that I have not added to this list.

Personal goals:

• Work through my Bible study that I stopped this Spring.


• Have us sit at the table for dinners 5 nights a week. (Totally missed out on this one this past week, but we have another week ahead of us!)


• Keep my kitchen and laundry caught up and ready for action. ( Frankly, got clothes washed but not folded or put away. Laundry is my most hated chore. It is never finished)


• Have some friends over for dinner...or coffee or dessert or something.


• Read some books about homeschooling


• Attend the home school curriculum sale this weekend.  (Totally missed out on this. Now, I need to find inspiration in another place...)


• Help with the Youth at church at least 2 times a month.

Well, those are my rather lofty goals. I hope that things get better and I get more organized at meeting my goals.

Things I/we accomplished that weren't on my list of things to do!

I started cleaning and organizing my studio areas.We also moved the furniture around in this area and I need to finish organizing, pitching or donating items.  I have a lot of boxes left to go through but we are happy with the new arrangement of the room and how it is starting to come together.  I re-opened my Amazon.com shop by listing more books for sale. We did a quick check up on our budget and re-affirmed our money goals. I sat down with our calendar and checked dates and times of appointments as we missed some important things last week.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

 

Wednesday Squared: square 1

I enjoy the mindlessness of crocheting granny squares. I have long felt that I need to try some new squares. I have been intrigued by this

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="http://www.ecrater.com/p/13757362/better-homes-and-gardens-crochet-knitting"][/caption]

crochet blanket and I have long wanted to put together my own crochet sampler. Here is my square a week.



This pattern is taken from Beyond the square Crochet Motifs by Edie Eckman.

I think I will use at least four of these in my crochet sampler blanket.

What are you doing new this week?

See you later,

Karen

 

Goals...

I received a wonderful package in the mail last week when my Mom was visiting. I restrained myself and only opened the packages to make sure that the order was right. I set goals for myself to help me finish my projects. I received my yarn that I had mail ordered and I was right it is softer and brighter than what is available locally. I bravely pushed it back into the bag and set it aside. I have two other fish to fry before I can start on the new yarn. It is calling to me. =0) I have two afghans started the zig zag, chevrony  ripple and another diagonal afghan. I am making myself finish both before starting on the new yarn. Mom was visiting so I just spent about 7 days not really creating anything and I think I am refreshed and ready to begin again.



This post was supposed to be about setting goals. So these are my goals for June. I always use bullet points as it helps me realize that these goals aren't in any certain order. I have a bunch of sewing to do as our oldest son is coming in July and he takes the majority of my www.ChocolateDogStudio.com photographs. I bribed him to come (not that he didn't want to come anyway.) but I mentioned that I had some work for him and would pay his gas for the trip. It helps if there is a bunch for him to do.

Business goals:

• Finish three afghans


• Start three more


• Sew 50+ cup cozies in new styles


• Sew the 30+ new items I need him to photograph


• Make the new Christmas items....


• Blog more consistently


• Write a business plan

Family goals:

• Take two summery day trips every week


• Make some meals for the freezer for THOSE days when I just really need them


• Help K get her things ready for College....


• Take T for driving practice


• Exercise


• Make the kitchen a better place to be, using things I already have. (It seems small and I really have to work at loving being in there.)


• Make the curtains in the living fit the windows better and the hems the same length (I threw these curtains up when I realized that the bamboo shades are see through at night with the lights on.) 

Rather lofty goals aren't they. I also have some personal ones that I have not added to this list.

Personal goals:

• Work through my Bible study that I stopped this Spring.


• Have us sit at the table for dinners 5 nights a week.


• Keep my kitchen and laundry caught up and ready for action.


• Have some friends over for dinner...or coffee or dessert or something.


• Read some books about homeschooling


• Attend the home school curriculum sale this weekend.


• Help with the Youth at church at least 2 times a month.

Wow, I had better stop before I organize the world....lol.

Do you have goals for your summer or do you just let it happen? Can you share two of your goals for June? I would love to know that I am not alone. Summer seems busier than the school year.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

 

 

 

My friend Rose

Have I told you about my internet friend Rose? She is finishing up her school year. She has taught High School science for years (AP chemistry, if I remember right). She is getting ready to start organic farming, interested in bee keeping, and has two boys and a husband. She also has two Etsy shops and is co-owner of another. She keep busy all of the time.  What caught my eye today are her wonderful hair clips and ties. The colors are intense, bright, and summery. Well, pictures are worth a thousand words so here are a few shots of her beautiful work.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="570" caption="http://www.etsy.com/listing/77964139/bobby-pins-hair-accessories-non-slip"][/caption]

Rose seems to be working all the time.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="570" caption="http://www.etsy.com/listing/72641155/ponytail-holders-set-of-two-covered"][/caption]

Her Etsy shops are http://www.etsy.com/shop/Rotifera and http://www.etsy.com/shop/sewecological. The paper shop that she shares with Cris is http://www.etsy.com/shop/TwoPaperAddicts. Rose sews the most amazing rick rack roses that she puts on hair clips.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="570" caption="http://www.etsy.com/listing/80100710/flower-hair-accessories-royal-blue-roses"][/caption]

Rose is also a team leader for the Easl team or Etsy Artisans Success League team (http://www.etsy.com/teams/9712/etsy-artisans-success-league-easl) on Etsy.  Rose works really hard to help everyone around her be successful and I just wanted to say thank you. Thanks, Rose for all that you do!

Karen

 

 

 

Art for Thursday

I found these beautiful artworks recently on Etsy. Hmmm, how wonderful that I found them when I wasn't looking. They make me happy.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="570" caption="http://www.etsy.com/listing/89447774/148-veedub-samba-signed-and-numbered"][/caption]

Don't the dogs in this one look so fully into going somewhere, except for the beagle facing backwards. It must be our beagle/hound mix. He has always seems to be looking back at life, or sleeping. I just love both of these. I would love to put the both of these dog prints in the family room. I pinned the top one earlier this week but I couldn't resist showing you this one too!

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="570" caption="http://www.etsy.com/listing/53947527/115-back-up-signed-and-numbered-giclee"][/caption]

See you later,

Karen

 

Crocheting....

Crochet has been calling my name again, patterns are running through my mind and interrupting my sleep. I have been googling patterns and finding lovely items all crocheted. Lovely colors and items with texture and life. Moving is difficult even at the best of times, and I usually reach for yarn and a hook for comfort. That sounds a bit odd. I also pray deeply while I am crocheting and think. I let the yarn run while my mind is planning or thinking about the future. I have crocheted at least 6 blankets and numerous other items since Christmas.

[gallery link="file" orderby="rand"]

I find myself wanting to head in a different direction with the crochet. I am not sure which direction, yet. Possibly just a change in yarns and colors. I am craving the bright colors that I see from the European crocheters. They are light and bright while the US yarns seem a bit grayed and drab. Do you even care about this? It doesn't matter to me I need a place to talk about it and think about it. Is it worth ordering yarn from over the sea? Shall I venture out into wools or cottons?

Here are some of the items and blogs inspiring me at this point.

Lucy at Attic24

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/2009/09/baby-ripple-tadah.html"][/caption]

Aren't they bright and cheery.

Jules at littlewoolie

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="512" caption="http://littlewoollie.blogspot.com.es/2012_04_01_archive.html"][/caption]

Gorgeous colors and great ideas.

Sandra at Cherryheart

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="http://sandra-cherryheart.blogspot.com/2011/04/colour-explosion.html"][/caption]

Wow, this one is just gorgeous and beautiful!

 

Well, there are others but these are the few that I visit, again and again. I am thankful that they share their days and projects with us. I have been through three computers in the past year, so I have lost many others that I had bookmarked.

Well, I will check back in another day. Today is waiting and there is much to be done. Thankfully, I don't need to solve this small problem today!

Karen

 

 

My Grandma's Quilts

My Grandma or Granny (Bethel) as we grand kids called her created quilts out of necessity. She had a large family and needed blankets. She was a part of a quilting group in her small town. I believe most of her quilts date from the 1940's. Her quilts were made from the better parts of used clothing and some were quilts within a quilt in order to make use of all available materials. I believe that all of these quilts were sewn completely by hand. I know that they were quilted by hand. Having four kids myself, I am pretty sure that some of these were made in order to have something finished that she could look at everyday. Somehow that is important in the daily grind of dishes, meals, laundry and keeping a family running.

 



Should any of my family read this and want to add any information or if any information is wrong please send me an e-mail and I will fix it. She made many, many quilts and they were scattered among the 7 kids when she passed away so these are only the few that I was able to photograph.



Quilting was also a  chance for women to get out and see other women. These were often qulited as a group and offered a reason for the women to get out and socialize. It helped to build the community and fostered the friendships that women need. I am pretty sure that we need gatherings like this again. I am hearing about knitting groups and sewing groups and churches that have quilting groups. There are quilting guilds and sewing retreats and so women are reaching out again to build friendships.



Well, these are a just a few. I have others to share on another day.

Karen

 

 

 

Spring Sale at Chocolate Dog Studio

It is time for my Spring Sale.

Check out the shop, fill your shopping basket and then type in this coupon code: Spring30 for 30% off anything in my shop!



See you later!

Karen

Recycling - upcycling: un-paper paper towels

Recently in our house we had a demise. Yes, something died. One of our most favorite sets of flannel sheets died. There were huge holes in the top sheet right under where your chin should be. I promptly bundled it up and put it out in the van....and then just as promptly brought it in in a bag for another upcycling/recycling project that I did. Which I will show at another time, maybe. Here is the sheet.



This project I will share with you today. When I was in the middle of the other ALL day and the next day project. I was posing questions to the kids in my house. What should I do with the flannel sheets? I had several answers; more pillow cases, fabric yarn then made into a crocheted rag rug, pajama bottoms for the kids. If the sheets had not been so worn this might have been a good idea, except then we would feel like singing "The Hills are Alive..." and dancing like the Von Traps in The Sound of Music.  What I decided to do came to me in a moment of need. We were out of paper towels. I don't know about your house but at our house we have several people (that shall remain nameless) that enjoy cooking. They use 5-6 paper towels when cooking, sometimes as many as ten because they wad them up and then throw them away. The purpose of paper towels in their mind iis to keep their hands from touching any yucky liquid. Which makes me unhappy because I am buying paper towels all the time. I have seen cute un-paper towels that snap together and you roll them onto a paper towel roll and can even put them back on the paper towel holder! That sounds wonderful but I know that I will never roll them back onto that roll or even keep the paper towel roll to roll them onto and I certainly won't be snapping them back together.  If I can just get them into a basket on a counter or in a drawer in the kitchen I will be happy, and as long as it keeps my family from using my nice bleached dishtowels on the floor, I will be a happy Mom.

So here is the tutorial on salvaging a flannel sheet into un-paper towels. Upcycling at its best, recycling with cleaning in mind. Here you go!

1. First cut or rip your fabric into slightly larger than paper towel sized squares.

2. Take two pieces the same size place them wrong sides together and sew around the edge. Round the corners so you don't have to poke out corners when you are done. It should look something like this:

Be sure to leave an opening for turning the un-paper towel inside out. To make it easy on me and a beginning sewing activity. I had a child do the sewing around the edges for me. It is a great beginning sewing project because it doesn't matter if the edges are a bit off or the towels are a different sizes. (I should say that it worked for me as I really do not care and this is utilitarian sewing.) It might matter to you. I rounded the corners and doubled the fabric so I wouldn't have to do tiny hems or tie knots.

3. Trim the corners so that it isn't bunchy when you turn it right side out. You can see the trimmed corner in the picture above.

4. Turn it right side out. Run your hand around the seam on the inside to poke out those rounded corners.

5. Tuck the opening edges to the inside and top stitch close to the edge all the way around, back stitch a little when you come back to the beginning and clip the threads short. There you go....you are finished! One un-paper towel.





Now if you want to speed up your sewing process.

1. Cut all the squares out at one time.

2. Lay them all out right sides together.

3. Sew around the edges of all of them one right after another.

4. Trim and turn them right side out all at the same time.

5. Top stitch them all at one sitting.

That should speed up the process. I mean, who wants to spend all afternoon cutting and sewing un-paper towels!

Talk to you later!

Karen

A few extra notes: flannel is naturally sticky (hence the flannel graph) so I didn't pin, If you use different fabrics you will want to pin them together. I purposely created this so I wouldn't have to deal with picky hems or serging. My serger and I are not friends at this point in time. You could serge both pieces of fabric together and be finished that much faster. However, I had someone that needed to practice sewing curves and this project was perfect as it wasn't a piece of clothing or a gift for someone.

Photo Friday! Where in the World Am I Today?

        

http://www.etsy.com/listing/93704901/yellow-daffodil-photography-yellow

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68102232/fancy-english-lavender-bouquet-with-hand



http://www.etsy.com/listing/28352784/a-secret-garden-8x10-photo-11x14-mat



www.etsy.com/listing/93147315/vintage-ellgreave-england-teapot-32-oz



http://www.etsy.com/listing/95683195/vintage-english-breakfast-tea-tin-brass

Yes, I am in England (in my imagination) and I am ready for a nice cup of English tea, some chocolate digestives and chat with my Mom, with daffodils on the table. It reminds me of Spring and brings back the hope that Winter really is gone for the year. I think that it will return and I am worried because all of the trees are in bloom and it IS only March in Iowa not May. People tell me that there is a chance of snow all the way to  Mother's Day. So we shall see, but I am pleased that today it is warm and the sun is out part way. It is Friday and we are all glad. It has been a busy week of school, cleaning (sometimes), Etsying, work and we are all ready for the weekend. We were extremely busy last weekend so this one will be a good chance to relax a bit and just do the regular weekend chores.  In addition to our other activities last week, the girls each got their own room. Since we live in a real world and have real messes, you know that it was just that, a mess that seemed to drag out all week! Finally, the youngest cleaned hers up yesterday for the final time and the oldest will do so soon. So progress has been made and they are both excited. I just have curtains to hang properly, a bed frame to put under the mattresses and a re-cleaning of the studio!  The joke is on me! After all of the cleaning of the studio two weeks ago, I now get to do it all over again. Such is life! Have a great Spring day, see you later,

Karen

 

ps. All of the photos come from Etsy shops, stop by and say hi!

 

And the Winner is.......

The winner is Sheila at SewFaithful.etsy.com. She guessed that my WIP project was a rug.



Here it is prior to completion.

Here it is finished....

  

It is about 20 inches across and is a perfect little rug. I had planned on making it much larger and for our daughter's room. That is why it is pastels. I created it as an excuse to use up left over yarn bits and simple crocheted a long strip which I then sewed around the filler. Finally, sewing it like a braided rug. It really didn't take much time to finish it. The family says that it is really soft and comfy under foot.

Sheila's cup cozy will be shipped out today. I really appreciate everyone participating in the contest.

Thanks,
Karen

Still Cleaning

Here is the next step in cleaning off one of the work tables. I had fabric stacked up in piles for different Chocolate Dog Studio projects, dresses for the girls, and some pieces for quilts.



In the process of cleaning, I found these and since they are so pretty I am sharing them with you. These are in good condition but the crocheted lace is coming apart on some of them. So they will go into some cozies. A friend shared them with me for that purpose, so I am not cutting up any family linens.



Aren't they beautiful? What about this one?



I also found a couple of these owls.  I have been carrying the little one in my purse. The bigger ones joined and they became purse organizers.



They are all different sizes and perfect for all the loose items running around in my purse. At one time I was going to offer them in Chocolate Dog Studio but decided that I do NOT like putting zippers in little bags. Here is the top of my table.



I think I am almost finished with this work table. Now I just need to focus on the other. You have to trust me that the other end is just as clean as the one above.



I think this will be my focus today. I have a cup cozy to ship and then I will be ready to get to work. Now that the work space is clean I have a ton of ideas running through my head. I will finish cleaning before I start sewing or creating anything.

Do you ever find treasures when you clean or organize you craft items?

Talk to you later,

Karen