Sinister and Sweet

"Sinister Bird"...the cutest one I've seen!
(6 x 6 inches)
from Katherine, Scootin' Annie

Katherine and I were swap-buddies for the Teeny Tiny Mini Quilt Swap. When she saw this tag on my blog...

...inspiration kicked in and "sinister" became our theme--a great one for October. It was a fun swap...thanks Katherine!

This is the teeny-tiny-sinister-mini that I made for her.
(6 x 6 inches)

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So, now, how 'bout some S W E E T !

These beautiful tags are from Karin, Creative Chaos.

Aren't they gorgeous?! And sweet...like Karin! I just adore them...thanks so very much!!

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Most of my time in the ol' craft room this past week was spent working on my issue for I Heart Zines 2009. It's a first for me--fun and a bit of a challenge.
But, Alma Stoller, the swap hostess (and another sweet and talented artist) provided a really helpful tutorial. I've mostly worked on getting my thoughts and ideas organized--ones that I'd noted and/or sketched over the past few months (an interesting variety of scrap paper, napkins, deposit slips, etc.)--but I've been able to create some of my pages too. I'll share more on my progress later:)

Marilyn

Summer at the Beach House

We've had some nice cool-ish weather here this week...and one very rainy day...but today was overcast and downright cold! I'm not r-r-ready for c-c-cold yet.

However, I did have a nice distraction from it in my craft room today. I worked on finishing quilt blocks for Sew Connected 2.

(10.5 x 10.5 inches)

The blocks are for Sonja. She sent the most beautiful fabrics and her theme is "summer at the beach house".

(8.5 x 9.5 inches)

That theme, and the lovely summer-y colors of the fabrics, made it easy for me to drift into my own little world with thoughts of sun and water and lazy days.

(10.5 x 10.5 inches)

Maybe I should make one of these quilts for myself. Then, when the temps are freezing and the snow is flying, I could climb underneath it and dream of the beach!

Marilyn

Getting Ready For December 20th

Completed, laundered and ready for...


...first daughter's baby shower last Sunday! It was a lovely afternoon hosted by one of her long time friends.


Can you believe this cake?! It was so adorable and also very tasty!


We asked grandbaby Cole to test out the Bumbo seat (I swear he gets cuter every time I see him)...lots of new baby things available that I've learned about these past several months. It's amazing, and they're all so cute and really some good ideas!


After we took the dozens of wonderful gifts back to first daughter's house, I asked her to pose with baby's quilt.


(By the way, she loves it!)

Marilyn

Where Did September Go?!

Yep, October already...reminding me yesterday that it was time to quilt the table runner I pieced a couple of weeks ago.

Fortunately it went smoothly and I was able to get it on the table along with my Vintage Spooky Tag Book...


...and, at least in the kitchen, there's a reminder that YES, IT IS OCTOBER ALREADY!

Marilyn

Round Robin Beginnings

I've added another page spread to my gluebook this week...

it's really become quite addictive! And to further my addiction, I'll now be able to work in books belonging to craft group friends too!

Beth suggested a very casual Book Round Robin. We can bring our books to craft day and work in our own or on a page for someone else. We can also work on other's pages at home and bring them back the next time we're together. No strict rules, just however it works out--and when nobody brings a book to craft day in a while, we're finished. Easy!

Beth, Mary, and I started our books this week. Shawn said she wants to play and I'm hoping Karla will join us later--she has lots of other projects going on right now.

We used book covers that we got from Mary and filled them with blank paper. The pages are hole punched and go into the books using binder rings.

I had a chance yesterday to decorate the cover of mine:


Mary made my first two pages...

(front)

(and back)

This is the front and back page I made for her book,


and the front and back page I made for Beth's book.


What fun! I'm excited for our next craft day!

Marilyn

There's a Housing Boom

In this economy?!

Yep, it seems to be happening--at least in my quilting bee groups...

In Sew Connected 2, our September blocks are for John who is planning, what I think is going to be, a fabulous Neighborhood Quilt. He has requested 12.5 inch blocks using the Kona Cotton "Ash" that he sent. From our own fabric scraps, we are to make little houses and trees, etc. measuring 3.5 to 5.5 inches.

When the blocks are sewn together, the quilt will be a vast background of pale gray dotted with cute buildings and trees. I can't wait to see it!

Terrie requested houses this month too in Stash Busting Bee International. Houses of a different color, so to speak--Wonky Halloween houses...


And while I had my Halloween fabric stash out and spread all over the craft room, I started putting together several different 6.5 inch blocks until I had fifteen of them.


My plan is for a table runner and now that the blocks are sewn together, all I have to do is quilt it and bind it and hopefully have it ready for October duty!

Marilyn

Bonus Craft Day

Again yesterday, Shawn and Bethany and I drove out to Karla's for craft day--two weeks in a row! Sadly, Beth and Mary weren't able to be there this time (and were missed).

I worked some more on my gluebook and finished two additional pages. It's really fun to have a project without a deadline attached, one to just play with as the mood hits:)


We started the day with a pitch-in lunch of fresh, tasty dishes...eating outside where the air was pleasant and the surroundings were lovely!


Then after lunch we were treated to a walk in the woods...


or more specifically...


the Fairy Berry Trail!


What a delight!

Also a delight was seeing the journals that Karla made with book covers that Mary brought last week...


Beautiful, aren't they? As was craft day--thank you, Karla!


Marilyn

Can You Really Have Too Much Fun?

On Tuesday, Shawn and Bethany and I drove to Karla's lovely cottage for a craft day. Actually, we met Mary for lunch first--Mexican food, mmmm--then to Karla's and Beth arrived a little later.

It was the perfect craft day! Lots of chatting and laughing and lots accomplished! I worked on tags for the Sweet & Sinister swap...



a n d



Mary was very nice (and generous) to bring book covers for us to use for collage projects...like this one and this one that she put together--doesn't she do beautiful work?! Then, in no time at all, Karla turned two covers into a beautiful piece too! Amazing!

I also took my gluebook to work on--the one that I started on a craft day back in April, inspired by Mary's gluebook. I didn't get to it on Tuesday but I finished a page yesterday. This is what I have so far...






This is such a fun project and I really don't know why I don't play with it more often. Maybe I'm too busy swapping, hmmm...also fun! What's a crafter to do?!

Marilyn

Doll Quilt Swap 7 - Received AND Sent

For me, one of the best mail days is when a Doll Quilt Swap package shows up in the mailbox...like today!

It's ADORABLE! And it's from Natalie...and did I say it's adorable?


Taking note of my fancy for Japanese prints, she made a coin pattern quilt with some of the cutest prints I've seen!


I think the brown solid fabric really shows off the prints, and I love the decorative stitch she used for the quilting.


The back is every bit as wonderful!


Along with the doll quilt, Natalie sent some gorgeous fabric (the pink & orange dot is one of my favorite color combos and the other, a Valori Wells design, is another favorite)...


and a fabulous embellished Moleskine sketch book:)


How lucky am I?! Thank you so much, Natalie!!

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I also sent my Doll Quilt Swap package today. What do you think about that coincidental timing!

I can't say where it's headed just yet...


but I can show you the matching drawstring bag I made


to hold a graph paper booklet, cute tissue, chocolate and any other necessities he/she may want to add:)



Have a great holiday weekend!

Marilyn