Sheena Richmond

My Family Day Sewing Project

2011-02-24T16:43:00.001-05:00

I enjoyed my last "sweet" project so much, I really wanted to try something a little bigger. I'm not sure how smart it was to choose a white pillow with four boys and a dog on my couch, but I still really like how it turned out!

I started out laying my pattern out on paper. From there, I transferred it onto a double sided iron on adhesive, which I ironed on my fabrics, and then ironed onto the white background.

Choosing the fabrics, then cutting out the pieces to assemble on the background.

The iron on adhesive really made it easy to stitch around each piece without any movement.

It's a bit hard to see in this picture but I used a washable marker to mark where I would be stitching all the little details, like the birds tailfeathers, and the leaf stems.

I used coordinating thread to go over my marked lines five or six times each, until I got the thickness of line I wanted.

Lastly I layered the top, some cotton batting and then a backing and free motion quilted the swirl pattern all over the background.

I trimmed the edges to a 20 inch square, made a pocket to insert a pillow form and finished with a coordinating edging. Ta-da...all done! Took me the better part of a day...but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Yup...I'm still here!

2011-02-19T21:10:00.004-05:00

So sorry it's been almost 4 months since I've last posted...what a dirty rotten shame. My crafting time has been drastically cut due to a new florist position at a local flower shop.
However, I'm still doing bits and pieces as I find time and I still enjoy checking out all my favourite blogs looking for new inspiration.

Okay...what to do when your husband tries to help you with the laundry and shrinks your favourite wool sweater ( besides hurt him). As you can see this happened more than once... I turned them both into carry all bags...and I love them....almost as much as I enjoyed wearing the sweater!

This is an attempt at a new applique technique...raw edge applique. Then around it is machine quilted in a swirly pattern. I'm thinking the quilting on white looks like a paper towel! I quite enjoyed doing this and may attempt a pillow or even a small quilt using this technique...stay tuned.

Beautiful Fall Bouquets.

2010-10-25T22:19:00.003-04:00

I just found this beauty of a bouquet at the Treasured Petal blog. I just love the vivid combination of colours an especially the anenomes....beautiful!

Here is a bouquet I did last weekend for a beautiful bride, Amanda, last weekend. I love the fall colours she chose, and the great mix of different flowers she chose.
She was lucky to have a beautifully sunny Saturday to have her outdoor wedding just outside Awenda Provincial Park in Penetanguishene. I can't wait to see the rest of the pictures!

Verna Quilt

2010-10-04T09:32:00.001-04:00

The inside was quilted in random circles, various sizes, all linking one to another. The outside 6" was quilted in straight lines.

The border and backing are both the same. I used a flat bed sheet! It was affordable and coordinated again with all the fabrics I was already using.

I'm really happy with how Verna turned out! I love the mix of colours...I love the white lattice....and I'm really loving the quilting too.

I used a Verna charm pack for all the 5"squares. These charm packs are great for getting a nice variety in colour and pattern, yet they all coordinate without too much thought.

Finished just in time...

2010-09-27T09:38:00.002-04:00

It's finished!
I've been working fast on this one...it's due for a wedding this Saturday. I just made it with enough time to wrap it up pretty.
It's kind of hard to let it go. I've spent so much time looking at it, I think I'm kind of liking it. Hopefully it will be enjoyed by a very special bride!

Trying something new...

2010-09-04T15:51:00.001-04:00

I have been wanting to try the "quilt as you go" technique. I have seen beautiful large quilts done this way. It saves you trying to fit a large quilt into your machine...you just quilt as you go and attach them at the end.

It is essentially the long cabin technique, sewn right onto your square of batting. After you add each piece, you take the time to go over each strip. Then you add the next piece and do the same thing again, working your way around the block. It is another great way to use up all your scraps.

When you're finished, cut a square for your backing, trim up the edges and bind as you would a quilt. Mine became hot pads...with matching tea towels for an upcoming shower gift!

Frolic Quilt

2010-09-02T08:54:00.000-04:00

This quilt was simply pieced using Moda's FROLIC charm pack! I loved all the colours. In some of the squares I appliqued smaller squares just for fun.

I quilted it just with my walking foot in one way wavy stripes.

The back side.

A couple of close ups.

Scrappy Lap Quilt.....done!

2010-09-01T14:48:00.001-04:00

My first quilt....done! I think it took about 2 hours to stipple quilt the entire thing. I can see why everyone says to practice, practice,practice! It takes some time to get the feel of the machine and the fabric. Even with a lap size quilt it is easy to get hung up on just about anything, and with the feed dogs dropped, your needle can move anywhere, anytime. I think another time I may try doing a smaller stippling. But over all I'm happy with my first run.

The back side. Using a pattern allowed some forgiveness if my stitches weren't quite right. It also gave me a chance to use up the few scrap blocks I had leftover.

It is all bound with a my favourite blue and white striped fabric. I love the effect of striped fabric on binding!

Finished size: 42"x48"

Scrappy Lap Patchwork Quilt

2010-08-25T11:38:00.003-04:00

I finished sewing together my scrappy lap quilt top! It was made from all scraps....bits and pieces I've had forever. Many were scraps from recycled mens shirts.

The patchwork squares were made using strip paper piecing. It's the first time I've tried it, and I'm sure I'll do more. It was easy and fun, and a great way to use up scrap.

I've been reading a book "Quilt As Desired" which is all about machine quilting. She had some great advice about sandwiching the layers. She recommended using masking tape to tape down the back side, stretching it taut. Then layer the batting, and then the top. It worked wonderfully, keeping everything nice and tight. Well, I guess I shouldn't confirm this until I've actually quilted it, but it appears to work nicely!

So...next step...quilting! Stay tuned...

Isn't She A Beauty?

2010-08-10T10:39:00.003-04:00

I'm sooooooo excited about my new machine. I've been wanting a new machine for a while, but never imagined I'd have one with all these great features.

I think I'm most excited about the "stitch regulator" feature and trying my hand at some free motion quilting. I've got some "quilt sandwiches" all ready to go when she arrives, and I've had some time to practice!

I purchased her on Ebay and had it shipped to my parents in Pennsylvania. I'm just waiting for my first opportunity to pick it up!

Inspiring Quilting Blogs

2010-07-23T13:38:00.004-04:00

There are so many great and inspiring blogs out there. I could go on for hours just jumping from one blog to the next. What a great thing to do when you need a little push to move on to a new project. It's like flipping through creative magazines...only free!

The Lattice Quilt is from Film In The Fridge. I love it! Really, I don't think there is a quilt on her blog I don't really like. Go have a look at them...you will be inspired too.

This beautiful quilt is from Sugar and Stiches. I love her colour choices, with just the right amount of white to set of the bright colours!

It's mine...

2010-07-17T12:07:00.002-04:00

How did I live without it?

It's itty bitty, it's hot pink...and it's mine!

The Buzzing of the Sewing Machine...

2010-06-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

There's been a little bitta sewing going on around here...just a little. No big projects or anything too difficult. These were just readymade tea towels that I embellished to go with my kitchen using scraps I had.

This really cool girl I know inspired me with this idea. Do you have any of those off white canvas bags laying around that you may have been given ....sometimes a marketing promotion? If you don't, you can pick them up at the thrift shops. They make excellent bases for a brand new, more beautiful bag. Because of their sturdy construction, they make perfect book bags or beach bags, depending on the size. You can simply create a "slipcover" to fit just over it and stitch around the top...how easy is that?

I LOVE blue and white....and I LOVE stripes so this one is my fav so far. Its made from a man's dress shirt!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2010-06-03T10:36:00.001-04:00

My old washtub filled with flowery goodness.

My $10 find at the flea market last weekend...it's all chippy and in great shape.

Poppy's, which my Sam picked out and planted himself several years ago...it has taken them awhile to get going.

Have a great day everyone!

Asrai Garden

2010-05-31T08:21:00.001-04:00

Through blogland,I have recently heard about this cool little flower/gift shop in Chicago. It looks so very unique and trendy. I love it when flower shops are mixed with unique giftware that compliments it. Check out some pics...and their website: http://www.asraigarden.com/home.html

LOVE the mix of flowers in the bouquet above.

Beautiful!

Red Thread.

2010-05-28T08:41:00.001-04:00

I've been following the site of Rebecca Sower for a while now. You know how there are just some people that you can relate to...that seem to pump out the same crafty things that you really enjoy and appreciate. Well, that happened this week on her site and I thought I would pass along all the creative goodness she shared this week. I wish I had thought of these all by myself!

Here is what she say at the beginning of her RED THREAD series:

the 'red thread sessions' { part 01 }

I woke up yesterday morning thinking about red thread. Odd, but true. Maybe it's because the yummy red strawberries are in season here in Tennessee. Or maybe it's because yesterday was my late seamstress grandmother's birthday. Who knows, but we creatives don't have to have reasons for our constantly spinning minds do we?

PART ONE

A cute and simple gift tag...adorable.

PART TWO

I like this idea of taking an article of clothing that you already own and making it into something a little more special and unique. And, the dress form is pretty cool too!

Love the button detail.

PART THREE

Writing with thread. I think this one might be a little more tricky than it looks...depending on what type of machine you use. This would be so sweet framed.

PART FOUR

Crocheted red thread necklace with beads....I like. You could do a bracelet as well.

PART FIVE

Vintage doily applique...enhanced with red thread. I think this would be cute attached to a bag or a t shirt, or ....anything.

So...there you have it...five days of read thread fun. If you want some more details on any of Rebecca's projects, head on over to her blog....it's fun! http://rebeccasower.typepad.com/rs_out_of_hand/

Spring Wedding Flowers

2010-05-12T15:26:00.001-04:00

I had the pleasure of creating some really fun bouquets for a wedding last weekend.

The bride, Sara, had a really great image of what she wanted for her special day. I LOVE it when brides know exactly what they want....makes my job so much easier.

All her maids were wearing black so we could have lots of fun with colour. Hot pink gerbera daisies, green fugi mums, pink calla lilies, green hypericum berries...and lots of fun curled leaves and grasses. Nice and clean and simple!

Some beautiful quilts.

2010-04-06T08:04:00.002-04:00

Just some pretty quilts I have been looking at recently. I really like this first one that is just a bunch of scraps sewn together....it's not even straight around the edges! Found them all here:
http://whipup.net/. They are celebrating quilts all month.

Patchwork Sofa.

2010-03-20T13:24:00.001-04:00

Isn't she a beauty? She was made by a London England designer, Ginny Avison... http://www.ginnyavison.co.uk/about_us/ I don't think you'd want to have more than one piece in each room! And if I could pick, I'd take this first sofa. Looks like you could just cozy right up in it with a good book.

Water Sling

2010-03-17T19:14:00.001-04:00

I thought this was a great idea for those who never like to be without a bottle of water (I'm one!) It's perfect to throw over your shoulder when you're off to the flea market or the mall. And...if you don't have a basket on the front of your bike, this will do the trick!

Recycled...

2010-03-15T11:22:00.001-04:00

I've been scooping up the fun dress shirts at Salvation Army and Goodwill lately. Here's another one of the recycled men's shirt aprons that I love so much. It's all about the little details...the logo tags and stitches, the hang-it-up loops, the shirt front pockets. I try to keep as many of them as I can...I think it's still cool to be able to tell it was made from an old shirt!

Anyone Else Have This Problem?

2010-03-05T09:13:00.002-05:00

These little metal guys hurt when you step on them in the middle of the night...in the dark.

They seem to come out by the bucketful when there is nothing else to do. I appreciate the collecting...really I do. Each of my boys has their favourites. There is usually some swapping, mabye fighting going on before everyone gets their own pile and the fun begins. However....why do they never get cleaned back up???

They were quite excited to get up in the morning and find this little message waiting for them :)

Floral Inspiration!

2010-03-01T08:05:00.000-05:00

Happy March!

I love looking through my blog list...almost daily. And I especially love HouseMartin: http://housemartin.typepad.com/housemartin/

I guess having worked in a few flower shops myself, I can relate to many of her posts. Her shop looks beautiful, and she uses many different and unusual flowers. The arrangement below is from her Valentines Day post.

I love the colours in this simple glass square. Orchids and Muscari, Trachelium and Lysianthus.

Ranuclus is one of my favourite flowers. They are rose like in their petals, but softer, with quirky fat stems...and come in a beautiful array of colours.

Sewin' Up a Travel Bag.

2010-02-28T20:42:00.002-05:00

I've had the sewing machine out again this week. I've been needing to sew up a new make up/travel bag...mine is in terrible shape. I wanted to try lining it in vinyl so it would be easy to wipe out...I've never done that before. I wondered if my machine would even sew through it. But it did a really nice job and I had no problems. Another easy pattern to follow from French General.

Just Incase You Were Wondering...

2010-02-24T08:39:00.001-05:00

I've always wondered when it was okay to pick it up and eat it, and when it's not. So now I know!

A Muskoka Wedding.

2010-02-04T14:24:00.002-05:00

Last fall I was fortunate enough to do the flowers through eventdecorator.com for a beautiful Muskoka wedding. This was a piece I created for the head table. For more gorgeous photos...head to their blog.

eventdecorator.com has just finished it's bridal shows for the year...and their booths were stunning. They really do stand out as being extremely creative in their field. I can take no credit for this, but check out their last booth at Carlu , downtown Toronto here.

A little red and white inspiration.

2010-02-03T13:45:00.003-05:00

I love the RED and WHITE colour combo. It's very fresh and fun!
All photos found at this very inspiring site.

This One's For Darlene...

2010-01-31T19:08:00.004-05:00

If anyone likes to collect....it's Darlene! I'm sure we could fill a blog with her many interesting collections. But until then, we'll keep an eye on this one.

She promises to add a new collection each day for a full year...and I think they all are her own. Can you imagine?

That's not a collections....that's a museum!

Handmade for Haiti

2010-01-22T15:19:00.001-05:00

Who hasn't been touched by the pictures from Haiti? What on earth could I possibly do to help? I've been going through my stash of fabric recycling them into children's clothing.

Our church is gathering items to send to orphanages in Haiti so I plan to see how many I can complete before the send everything off!

Check it out: www.servelikechrist.blogspot.com

If anyone would like to help, I've got some VERY simple patterns that anyone could do!

2010-01-22T08:16:00.000-05:00

These are very sweet pincushions. Even better it has a free tutorial found here:

http://lilatuellerdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/01/mushroom-pincushions-are-here.html

2010-01-21T10:06:00.003-05:00

I know it's been a while...

It's a shame I have to go straight from Christmas to Valentines Day!

But the break felt good...now I'm starting to get creatively antsy again. I'm on the lookout for something new to try.

Meanwhile, I'm finding lots of cute things as I wander around Blogland.

This would be so cute for little ones to take to school:

Found it here: http://averycountrychristmas.blogspot.com/2010/01/craft.html

Fresh Christmas Arrangements

2009-12-10T16:38:00.001-05:00

Just a few arrangements I whipped up this afternoon. They are for a client I have been working with every Christmas for about15 years. We did the outside of their home a few weeks ago, and these will be going on the inside, as well as a beautiful fresh garland for her mantle.

I have a few more customers for next week. As well I'll be starting work at the florist every day until Christmas eve! I'll have sap hands for sure!

A Fresh Mantle for Christmas.

2009-12-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

There is no blue on my Christmas mantle this year! First time in many years I think... although that could all change at any moment, but for now it includes:

Fresh white Alstormaria in a vase. A great long lasting flower!
An old altered book...each page folded and left open. I may use it to hold some Christmas cards when they start arriving.
My "R" ....on old marquee sign letter found in an antique shop in Corning NY.
Birch bark logs, lovely cut up by my husband. There is a well in the top of each log to hold a tea light. Fresh moss and pears to surround them.
an old glass jar filled with vintage ornaments.
a rustic wooden angel given to me by a friend
a silver cone filled with branches from the yard, sprayed silver. I pulled out all my silver vintage balls to hang on the branches, along with mini disco balls from the dollar store. It is looking a little dark in the picture, but when the sun is shining or the candles are lit, there is a beautiful sparkle!

And The Stockings Were Hung...

2009-12-03T07:54:00.000-05:00

We have needed new stockings for....YEARS! So this is the year. There is a brand new one for each of us. All were made from recycled men's shirts. They are nice and big...room for lots of loot from Santa...probably 2 1/2ft long! Originally I intended to fold down the top, but I liked them so much long that I left them and added buttons at the top.

Before and After

2009-12-02T08:45:00.001-05:00

I have been following Knack http://knackstudios.blogspot.com/ for quite sometime. She is actually celebrating her 2nd year anniversary of blogging....check out her blog for a chance to win some great neat things from her shop!

She has a very unique way of recycling old furniture...usually with paint. I'd love to have just one of her pieces. But this one, I think, is the most beautiful I've seen yet. Here is her before and after:

Nice huh?

Snowflakes

2009-11-28T09:55:00.001-05:00

Check out the cool ornaments made from buttons from my vintage button jar. I just used a long piece of wire twisted through the large middle button the thread on a row of buttons. All eight rows are attached to the large middle button. An extra piece of wire makes a hanger for the top.

If you don't have vintage buttons, this one was made with all red buttons from the dollar store. The heart in the centre is just a decorative "brad".

I thought these would be a great topper for Christmas presents!

Here is another one that I just found on another blog. Her technique is totally different (glue instead of wire) and if you'd like to see how she does it, go here: http://shanty2chic.blogspot.com/2009/11/ashleys-snowflake-ornament.html

Some Christmas Yummies...

2009-11-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Isn't this pretty? Simple and outdoorsy...I love it.

I've done several decorating jobs this year with birch. It's so pretty and wintery. It's great for large showy planters since the branches can be so long.

This ones just a lot of fun. I think in my household, the snowballs wouldn't stay nicely stacked there for long...real or not real! The skates look great in the background as well.

No red in this room. All shades of green and white...so fresh and clean. What a pretty mantle!

Really simple and understated...I like! Nice farmers sink too.

Christmas Runner.

2009-11-25T15:43:00.001-05:00

I am really liking this table runner! It is made from Christmas/winter fabrics, but not in traditional colours. I like that the tree trunk is done from brown bias tape...makes it simple.

I'm not really a" table runner person", but I think this one done in the right colours and patterns would be fantastic. Another thing to add to the "To Do" pile.

Beautiful Images.

2009-11-21T20:00:00.000-05:00

This is a great resource for scrapbookers, cardmakers or just crafty people. The Graphics Fairy has an amazing selection of vintage pictures, signs, labels etc. Some of them are just beautiful! And she shares them all with us...her images are free!

http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com

Cute as a Button!

2009-11-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Aren’t these just the cutest. Makes me wish I knew how to knit! But if you do and you’d like the pattern…go here:http://members.home.nl/tdpj/Patronen/Bootees/Saartjes%20bootees.pdf

Christmas Card Sneak Peak.

2009-11-19T08:35:00.001-05:00

I’ve been VERY slowly trying to get my Christmas cards going. I even enjoyed a wonderful night at a B&B with girlfriends to work on them. But you can only accomplish so much with so many other wonderful distractions (shopping, chatting, hot- tubbing). So I’ve come home with lots of work yet to do!

This year I’m trying not to buy anything new. I have a great collection of wonderful papers. And I have lots of stamps too. So instead of doing them all the same, I think I’ll have quite a variety. Here are a few I’ve done so far:

A Quilt For Barbie!

2009-11-18T15:50:00.001-05:00

I’ve attempted a mini quilt with all my itty bitty little pieces for fabric. Most of the scraps were from mens shirts which I made aprons from. I cut them into 2” squares.

I cut a 18”x18”piece of interfacing and layed out my squares. I gently ironed them into place.

Next I sewed a 1/4” seam down each row, ironed the seams to one side, then sewed the other directions. What an easy way to sew small pieces together! The interfacing held everything in just the right place. I guess if you wanted to hand quilt though, it might make the fabric a little tough to get your need through.

I cut 4” strips to border, machine quilted, then bound with another fabric.

A very fun little project!

Some Serious Winterland Inspiration!

2009-11-12T13:26:00.001-05:00

Don’t you just love the snowshoe sign? I think this would be a great theme for a winter party. Check out the snowmen boards to stand behind and have your picture taken…love it!

I also really love the mix of birch bark containers, moss and snow as an beautifully natural centerpiece.

The snowman at the top of this set is just fabulous. Did you notice it was made from white carnations? So easy. The antique buttons, pipe and little black hat are the perfect finishing touches!

So when I get my party all together, I’ll be sure to send you an invitation! (Don’t forget your snowshoes!)

Scarlet

2009-10-28T10:00:00.003-04:00

I've got a really touching blog for you today. Paul Turner is the Worship Pastor at our church. He and his wife Angela have three children. Scarlet, their second child is Autistic.

I love the way Angela writes about her family with honesty and love and I appreciate the insight into the world of Autism that only the mother of Scarlet can.

Check it out here: http://divinelystartled.blogspot.com/2009/10/i-saw-sign.html

Beautiful...

2009-10-16T16:39:00.003-04:00

I'm in love with this vertical succulent garden! Look at the beautiful texture...

I really like how they've framed it with natural branches as well. It's a west coast habitat so I guess it wouldn't work so well covered with snow huh?

Found it here.

Patchwork sweater blanket.

2009-10-08T16:28:00.002-04:00

What a great idea for a bunch of old sweaters...although I'm pretty sure I don't have this many of one colour!

I really like the idea of them all being neutral though. I may have to start sweater collecting at Goodwill's 1/2 price days.

I bet it would be really cozy on these cool fall days to cozy up under one of these with a good book.

For more info on how she did it, head over here.

Got Books?

2009-10-05T11:59:00.003-04:00

After being asked to speak about "Living well On Less" to a Womens Ministry Group this past weekend, my partner in crime, Darlene, started experimenting with book folding. Her results were amazing...I wish I had the book she folded to show you....but you can trust me...it was good! She said it took her about 2 hours (infront of the TV kinda thing!) and I think that was with two folds on each page.

I've found a few more images reflecting the various things you can do with old books. It would be the perfect thing to do with any old books you might have around that are damaged.

One of these pictures shows them hanging...looks amazing in groups. Darlene's looked great just sitting open on a table. And I think they might look kinda cool hanging on the way with a plate hanger!

My other thought was how kid friendly this could be...I think my boys would enjoy it.

So...now you know what I'm up to this week.

An Explosion at Sally Ann!

2009-10-04T18:48:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago I was asked by the Ladies Ministries at church to speak at their upcoming meeting. The theme was to be "Living Well On Less". I was fairly confident, after my many trips to the thrift shops, that I could pull together a half hour talk. And I also knew that if I invited my good friend Darlene to join me, it would be even better! After all, we have been known to inspire eachother...
So we got together and planned our strategy. Between the two of us, there really wasn't a whole lot to prepare...just a trip around each of our homes! The big hits were the the lounge pants made out of old bedsheets, and the aprons made from old mens' shirts. Darlene had lots of great things to show from her latest thing....wool felting. I think everyone had a great time....and I think we really inspired many ladies to think about repurposing items they might already have in their home. One girl came up to me in church this morning and said she had already raided her husbands closet looking for shirts to make into aprons! Sorry husbands out there...
For any friends and family of Darlene and I out there...don't look too close...your Christmas gift might just be tucked into this photo somewhere!

2009-10-02T20:39:00.002-04:00

I've been having fun this week preparing for some beautiful fall weddings. Both are full of variety and texture and wonderful colours.

Both weddings will be happening at resorts in Muskoka this weekend. I'd love to see it all set up and ready to go, but unfortunately this time, I'm working in the studio. 30 centrepieces...12 bouquets....head table arrangements....urns....pew flowers...bouttonieres and corsages...I think I get the fun part!

Wish the pictures were better...but you get the idea.

A little bitta fall.

2009-09-28T10:18:00.002-04:00

If I don't think too hard about what is to follow, I think Fall is my favourite time of year.
I love that we're back into a routine. I love the cooler temperatures (although that pretty much describes our entire summer).
I love the colours of fall and all the great natural things for decorating. I've done the flowers for several fall weddings and they are spectacular...so much variety.

I had fun making these caramel, chocolate, skor bar apples last week. We handed them out at Sam's birthday party...and they were a hit. I couldn't help but think about how great these would be at Christmas too. So simple...roll in melted caramels (unwrapping them is a real treat!), when cooled, roll in melted chocolate chips. While still warm, roll in skor bar chips, or oreo crumbs, or nuts....mmmmm.

With the abundance of tomatoes from the garden this year I tried my hand at canning. I have never done it before. We all really love salsa here so that's what I picked...hot and mild.
Turned out great...especially the hot!

If you want the best suitcase in the house...you'll have to move the cat!

2009-09-08T21:22:00.003-04:00

I think this is the cutest project, and if I had a cat, I would give it a try. I'm not quite sure if my Cooper would hop into it or not!? He might if it was sitting right on the floor. But that's one of the
things I really like about it....the chunky little feet.
If you want to hear all about how she put this together....go here.

Check this out!

2009-08-26T08:03:00.003-04:00

Isn't this the coolest thing?
I just can't imagine the time it took to put
it all together. The detail is incredible.
It looks like she began with a wood structure
to hold it all up, then added various sizes of
cardboard boxes, then added all the
incredible detail. I love it!
If you'd like a closer look at Ana Serrano's work... go here.

Great new site...

2009-08-15T08:13:00.003-04:00

Have you heard about (in)courage?
It's a great new site put out by Dayspring
and fully of all kinds of great laughs, advice
and encouragement...all for the Christian Women.
I really liked the writing for today....go check it out!

Another one for the collection…

2009-08-09T18:11:00.000-04:00

This was a quick one to whip up, compared to all the others. I really like it! Another Amy Butler pattern. Green damask fabric from Walmart …$5 a meter. Blue striped fabric I’ve had for ages… from Ikea. It’s almost too pretty to splatter grease on!

Something I’ve always wanted…

2009-08-08T19:42:00.002-04:00

Growing up we had a kitchen banquette in one of our homes. It wasn’t nearly as cute as these, but it was still pretty cool. Although at times it was terribly inconvenient…letting the person stuck at the back out when they had to go….I think I just liked the cozy feeling.

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I think it’s a floor plan space saver, in a lot of cases. And usually gives you lots of storage under the benches.

Which one is your favourite?

Click on the V to see all the pictures.

Fried Green Tomatoes!

2009-08-08T14:25:00.001-04:00

Have you had them before? Yummy! We have an abundance in our garden at the moment and I just couldn’t wait for them to turn red!

Slice firm green tomatoes into slices, dip in a beaten egg, then into a mixture of bread crumbs, parm cheese, salt and pepper. Heat some olive oil in a non-stick pan. Fry the tomatoes until golden brown. Enjoy!

The Garden.

2009-08-07T16:05:00.001-04:00

It’s hard to believe this is what the garden looked like in June! We struggled at the beginning with cool nights and frost. Our carrots never did come up, after three plantings. Yet the tomato plants are as high as I am and loaded with fruit. The peas were doing great as well….until they were run over by a backhoe…I won’t mention names.

Anyway….great things are coming out of the garden…and worth every bit of earlier effort!

Patchwork Handbag

2009-08-07T10:44:00.001-04:00

I’ve really been enjoying putting my sewing machine to use recently…handbags specifically.

I picked up this great book by Amy Butler called In Stitches. She has some fabulous ideas for all around the home. She gives great, thorough instructions with pictures for each project…patterns included. Everything I’ve tried with her patterns has turned out very well.

So this is her patchwork handbag. All the pieces are cut out, sandwiched and quilted before you put the bag together. Was a bit time consuming, but the outcome was great...what do you think?

2009-08-04T10:42:00.002-04:00

Just so you know I've been having lots of fun this summer, I'll share some pictures with you.
We've spent the last week at Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park, Ontario enjoying the beautiful and very peaceful scenery...at least it was peaceful until we got there!

We enjoying playing in the waterfalls...

Canoeing (with son Sully)

Biking with friends Wanda and Brigid...

Hiking....isn' the view breathtaking? Sully, Sam and Aidan have a great outlook from a rock jutting out over the valley.

I hope everyone is able to enjoy their the beauty of their surroundings as much as we have!

Just a couple of reminders...

2009-08-04T10:40:00.002-04:00

Shabby Quilt

2009-08-04T10:31:00.005-04:00

Wow....what a lazy summer! It's been too long since I've blogged...although I have been checking out all my fav blogs pretty regularly! I came across this great "shabby quilt" today and loved it. I love the colour combination and the fact it's pretty simple because of the shabby edges. You can check out the tutorial here. For lots of other great ideas check out this site!

Country Living Images

2009-07-08T08:08:00.002-04:00

These are some beautiful images from the latest Country Living magazine. I think this garden is amazing. Look at the size of those dahliahs...wow.

I can't keep the weeds out of my garden, I can't imagine the work involved in this organic garden!

I love the combo of this bookshelf , painted in black....and the crazy quilt upholstered chair.

What a great....and inexpensive idea for a coat rack!

Another great purse !

2009-07-07T07:53:00.004-04:00

Isn't this the cutest? I love the big size

(they call it a laundry bag), and the

ruffles. You can see the rest of

Shoestring Home here.

Frenchy Bag

2009-07-06T19:26:00.001-04:00

I’ve been looking at so many great patterns online for handbags. I really like Amy Butler’s collection. Mom brought me a pattern last week for this very cute “frenchy bag”. It can be made as a shoulder bag or a hand bag.

For the first attempt I used this cool vintage cowboy barkcloth fabric. Granny gave it to me…it used to be curtains in my uncles bedroom when he was a boy! I’m really happy with it. I think next I’ll try some cute flowery summer prints in fun colours.

Packin up...

2009-06-25T12:34:00.001-04:00

We're off...camping for a long weekend! Enjoy your weekend everyon :)

Blue Love

2009-06-24T08:48:00.010-04:00

Just sharing a bit of blue and white love. Hope you enjoy the images as much as I do!

Have a great day :)

Finds Of The Day…

2009-06-17T15:58:00.001-04:00

I popped into a few thrift shops today while out and about. It certainly pays to check in…and often. One day there’s nothing…the next day you could score big time. It you know what you are looking for, it just takes a minute to look for new things.

Sally Ann had a great linen table cloth….for .99cents! No stains or anything.

Value Village had a great selection of old pillowcases and sheets. These remind me of the bedding I grew up with! No quite sure what I’ll do with them yet…just thought they were fun. Most were .99cents each.

They also had these cute little oval dishes from Buffalo China. 4@ .99cents each. Right now I think I’ll use them in my craft room to hold odds and ends.

Our “Little” Canuck

2009-06-16T22:29:00.001-04:00

Sully is officially a Barrie Canuck! First game was tonight so we all headed out to watch. Although we lost 2-0, he put out a fantastic effort and got right in there! Way to go Sully.

Pinky!

2009-06-12T08:01:00.004-04:00

I've been following several blogs of those that have traveled to Spokane Washington to either go to or be in the Farm Chicks show. I think I've mentioned the Farm Chicks before. They put on shows in the northwest a couple of times a year, have a great website and store as well. I believe they have written books and I have seen them recently in Country Living. It's the kind of thing I would love to visit if they were just a little bit closer.
Anyway, Camp Whimsy put out a blog post suggesting where to go and what to see while in Spokane. This pic is from an awesome looking place called Chaps. I'm LOVING this buffet painted pink and really roughed up! I think somewhere I'm going to have to start a pink room...I have seen so many cute things lately.

2009-06-08T09:48:00.003-04:00

Happy Monday morning!

Found some cute things at a cute little website here.

Ever since I have been working on my aprons, they are just popping out of the wood work. Were they always there and I just didn't notice?

So many cute patters and fabrics.....love it.

And check out these lovely little handbags. I especially love the ruffly one, but can't imagine having it in white!

Tie One On!

2009-06-03T14:17:00.002-04:00

Okay...I can take no credit for this idea. It was my brilliant partner in crime....Darlene. She found the idea in a " how do be crafty while recycling" book she recently picked up. I can' wait for her to get hers finished so I can post a pic for you....I'm sure they will be totally different than mine.

You simple use an old, man's shirt ( not OLD MAN'S shirt), remove the sleeves...which then become the ties. Remove the collar, which gets turned around and used for the waist band. I removed the pocket and lowered it. Then I added some vintage trim I picked up a while back. Voila...that's it...cute huh?

Stay tuned....I had so much fun, I think I need to try some more!

It's found a home...

2009-06-03T14:07:00.003-04:00

Remember this vintage laundry hamper on wheels? I picked it up on my last outing, not really sure what I would end up doing with it. If it fit in my laundry room, I would have used it there since it really is pretty sturdy, and the wheels even still roll.

I ended up putting it in my "creative room" to hold all my fabric bits and pieces. It could also be a great place to put my "to be ironed" pile.

Before....and After!

2009-06-03T13:49:00.002-04:00

Last week I was poking through Value Village and came across this hutch in the furniture department. I hummed and hawed....pictured it with all my stamps inside....pictured it painted white...
Then I looked at the price tag.....$14.99! Can you believe I walked away and left it there? Sometimes when the price is so low, you think, okay...something is really wrong with this.

I thought about it the rest of the day and finally decided to go back and see if if was still there....and it was. So we piled it in the back of the Burb and brought it home.

I had to replace the glass shelves inside (2). The light on the top inside worked and there were no major problems with the wood.

I removed all the hardware, sanded it all down, taped up the glass and painted away. Sanded again and did a second coat. When it was dry, I roughed it up a bit and then finished with a coat of wax stain. Let that dry and them buffed it to a polish. It worked out great because the dark wax caught all
the depressions and grooves and gave a great aged
feel.

I was going to replace the hardware, but once I was finished, I really liked them and they seemed to be good quality.

It is now moved up into my "creative
room". It nicely holds my stamp
collection, all my inks, and various
other items. The bottom stores all the
yucky looking stuff that is so nice to
keep hidden.

So there you have it...a steel of a deal!

Junkin' With Darlene...

2009-05-30T14:22:00.004-04:00

Darlene and I had a ton of fun junking on Friday. So many times we have driven up Hwy 11 and passed right by several "junk shops". So we reserved friday to head up to check them out. And junk shops they were! I don't think I've ever seen so much stuff piled into one place...and not many treasure amongst the junk either! Darlene found this Parchessi board and we thought it was vintagey looking so she picked it up for $1.

The trunk starts to fill up!

This place was recommended to us by one of the dealers we stopped to see near Coldwater. The shops were in a few units of a storage business in Midland. We would never have know it was there otherwise. Each shop was very tiny, but packed full of stuff...and our kind of stuff! Very friendly owners too. I picked up some vintage linens...napkins, table cloths and runners. An old laundry holder on wheels...have never seen one before. An office wire paper organizer, an old emamel pot to plant up with somer geraniums on the back patio.
Darlene found a great green enamel pot and a cute green and white check serving plate.

This place totally cracked us up. Looked up the Beverley Hillbillies first home....before Beverley Hills! It was packed inside with furniture and all kinds of interesting odds and sodds.
The only thing I picked up here was an old boiler pot...painted blue.

Score!

2009-05-23T22:47:00.003-04:00

I was on my way to Costco this morning when I saw an upcoming garage sale. I tried to go straight, but the steering wheel pulled me over and I had to stop.

Not too much exciting.....except these two pieces of blue and white. Old Foley Staffordshire to be exact.
Both the pitcher and the bowl were masking taped together as a set. $5.oo for both!

Even my hubby was impressed :)

Beauty Bouquets

2009-05-23T11:00:00.003-04:00

A little bit of cheeriness this saturday morning. Love all of these arrangements.

This one is easy...green kermit mums trimmed short and pushed into a block of foam, tied with a ribbon.

For this one the designer saved the stems she cut off and gathered them around the vase. Beautiful rosed, hydrangea, lizzie, and berries.

I love this one just because it's in an old tin can! How easy is that....and cheep.

Stepping into the garden...

2009-05-20T11:54:00.002-04:00

This is normally something you DON'T want to see! But it was done with purpose I promise.
Quite a few years ago, while playing at Grandma's, one of my sweeties broke her beautiful blue willow lamp. I felt terrible, but we kept the pieces and over the years, as other blue and white plates and mugs broke, I added them to the pile. I think I remember certain unreplacable plates being used as frisbees from someone (who shall remain nameless) sitting in their highchair.

Anyway, we had a nice collection of broken blue and white pieces going so I decided to put them to use.

Sam and I made some very cute stepping stones for the garden. I think they turned out great. I can't wait for them to dry so I can pop them out of their molds and get them into the garden!

I know we are a little slower getting our gardens moving up here in Canada, but here are the gardens these stones will be put into!

A few finds this week.

2009-05-16T18:48:00.004-04:00

I took a little stroll through the Innisfil Street Antique Mall this week. I go fairly regularly so I wasnt' expecting to find too many cool, new (and affordable) things.
But I came across this neat thing. I'm not really sure what it is, but it looks to be the top of an old desk. The top flips up allowing access to the top compartments a little easier. I thought it would be a great place to store a lot of my crafty things that usually just hand around my desk. I'm thinking about painting it, since the finish isn't that great. $25

Then I found this cool mug....just my colours too. I love the transfer design, and the heaviness and shape of it. Feels like stoneware. $10

And lastly, there was a little bag of ivory button goodness. I think it only caught my eye because it was wrapped up so nicely with a brown Hermes ribbon tying the top. I really bought it because of the cool buckles...although the buttons are cute too. $4

Before and After

2009-05-13T17:46:00.002-04:00

It's so great to find others that have the same taste you do. I came across The Lettered Cottage today. What a great sense of style she has. I love how she turned this plain Jane kitchen into something really wonderful, with a small budget to boot.
I've been thinking about painting my kitchen cupboards black for quite some time but wasn't quite sure how it would look. This was a great way to see. I don't know that I would remove my cupboard doors, but I do like the way she added the Home Depot brackets underneath for a custom look. What do you think?

Pretty Flowers

2009-05-12T09:45:00.005-04:00

Since I've been spending more time looking through the Blogs, I've found so many neat people creating neat things. I like that you can see products and creations from others shops and businesses, but I especially like that you can read where they found an item, or how they came to create it...it's so much more than shopping.

There aren't too many people I know who create flowers like I would, so it is really awesome to be able to connect with these people that I would otherwise have never met!
I love this little flower arrangement from Ink & Peat (flower and gift shop) in Portland. And here is her blog Housemartin.

Check out this colour...

2009-05-11T08:31:00.004-04:00

Just a little inspiration for this Monday morning...
Aren't these little mini quilts amazing! I love the quirkiness of this one...how nothing lines up...and the very cheery colours.
I love how small the squares are on the second one...and again, the great mix of colours. AND... I love how she rounded the corners!
Go here to check out the blog Stitch In Dye.

Going antiquing...

2009-05-04T22:12:00.003-04:00

Who new you could actually go antiquing online?

One of the gals from a blog I have been following (Such Pretty Things) took this pic, saying it was one of her fav's. You can see all her pics here. It looks like a little bit of heaven to me.

So next time you're going through Leesburg Virgina...check them out. Or if you can't get there...shop online. http://www.luckettstore.com/

We all have our baggage!

2009-05-02T09:50:00.001-04:00

Where were these guys when I was looking for luggage tags?
They make me giggle. Found them here!

Inspiration

2009-04-28T18:49:00.004-04:00

This little baby is just too cute...and simple. Seems as if all the thrift shops have an abundance of these silver trays. I've painted them before...but I kind of like this one as is. It would even be better if it was tarnished, don't ya think?

Then check out the button magnets. How simple is that.

This from another new blog find Little Byrd Vintage.

I'm home!

2009-04-28T10:08:00.003-04:00

After a very enjoyable 2 weeks in South Carolina...I'm happy to be back to my nest. No more snow (yippee)...the grass is green...and I think I see some buds on the trees. It's a little hard to tell for all the raindrops falling today.

I just saw this picture online and had to show you...cause it looks a lot like my new cruiser bike. I think this one is an original, but this bike, beside the summery looking beach, reminds me of our vacation.

For all the fabric lovers, I found another cool site with beautiful colours and designs.It is called Pixie Dust!
Hurry....run and check it out here!

And one more thing....another great site. I know it's been around for a while, and I don't know why I didn't find it sooner (I'm always the last to know!) It's called The Farm Chicks. One click and you'll see what I'm talking about. Even the blog background is cute. Lots of great recipes, decorating ideas etc. I know you'll love it too.

Some sewing inspiration...

2009-04-09T11:19:00.005-04:00

Last night I had coffee with a very dear friend. She brought along one of her latest sewing projects....a very sweet little fabric purse! So when I came across this great little website I knew I had to share. So all you sewing girls (Darlene...Barbara...) go check it out.
The site is called Sew Mama Sew. They have a ton of beautiful fabric as well as some pretty cool patterns to purchase. You must go see!
Her blog is sweet too...and can be found here.

Dandelion Ranch

2009-04-09T08:38:00.004-04:00

I just discovered this very cool little LA flower shop called Dandelion Ranch.

It looks as if it is in an old warehouse type building. I love the casualness of the workspace. And the flowers are beautiful! Who wouldn't like to work here?

Just incase you didn't know....

2009-04-04T09:41:00.000-04:00

Turquoise!

2009-04-03T08:54:00.002-04:00

This blog has become one of my favourite and most inspirational blogs.
I love how she takes the traditional and gives it a twist....like she did here with colour!
Check out Knack!

Need this....

2009-04-01T20:57:00.002-04:00

I think I might need to have this print.
It's appropriate since we leave in a week for our two week camping trip in South Carolina.
Found it on Etsy.... here.

Chinatown

2009-03-30T11:40:00.002-04:00

Over the March Break we took a little trip to China Town in Toronto. My Father in laws new wife has just arrived from China and we thought she might like a little bit of home....and she did! She was finally able to find some of the cooking items she wasn't able to find anywhere else.
It's such an interesting place. You know you're there when you see wall to wall signage! Lots of street shopping and fresh fruit and veggie markets.

My boys could not get over the selection of weird and wonderful things Asian people eat! I must say, it was a little stinky in there!

Cow feet anyone? Do you know where those feet have been???

This was a very cool market with every dish and piece of kitchen equipment you could imagine.
I'm thinking one of these hats would be all I would need on a rainy day....would certainly save the hair!

A little bitta spring...

2009-03-13T11:11:00.003-04:00

K....just in case you think spring is never coming...here is!
I'm just about to plant some grass seed indoors. I like to force it in a shallow dish or tray. It starts sprouting in a matter of days, but takes a couple of weeks to thicken up to a nice green carpet. The kids love to give it haircuts! It's the perfect spot to show off your pretty painted Easter eggs.

If I had a flower...

2009-03-12T11:53:00.001-04:00

2009-03-11T14:55:00.002-04:00

A couple more new cards too! I love this wee little birdy....he came from Pennsylvania. He is very tiny, but sweet...don't you think?
I think I'm still in my blue and brown place. I didn't realize that till I downloaded a bunch of things and noticed several were in this colour theme!
I love the "Women are like buttons...they hold things together" quote. So true...yes? Sewed some antique buttons on that one!

More pages completed!

2009-03-11T14:41:00.003-04:00

I've been busy working in my album again. A few more updated pages from last summers vacation. Just a couple pages left and I will have filled the whole album! I have so much more to do though....I'm sad to say that I think I've only gotten up to year 2 in Sully's album...he's 8 now! Why is it so difficult to keep everything organized?

First picture are my pages from our visit to Battleship in Wilmington NC. A really cool tour through a WW2 Battleship. I'll never forget the 90 degree temps below ship with no air.

Second picture is the Boardwalk in Myrtle Beach....very fun.

Third picture is from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel in Virginia. A very cool series of bridges and tunnels to cross the Chesapeake bay, but still allow the big ships through. Very scenic.

Fourth is Cherrystone Family Resort. Such a beautiful scenic place. The boys especially enjoyed the crabbing and fishing.

And fifth is Knoebels Park in Elysburg PA. A wonderful family amusement park, with the added bonus of camping.

2009-03-06T18:39:00.002-05:00

Check out this cute little gem of a tea room! It's in San Francisco and it's called Crown and Crumpet. What a great spot to meet a friend for tea! Looks like they have some really cute vintage gifts too. Love the decorating. Wouldn't a man feel totally uncomfortable in here??? LOL

You can see their story here.

2009-03-03T13:51:00.002-05:00

Two cute things I found online today. I love this patchwork piece framed. I like the saying, but I especially love the colours!

I don't think I've ever known anyone that has a bundt pan collection....have you? It's one of those collections that would be hard to display, since the pans are usually kinda awkward. This is a great solutions with all the deep shelves. I think what I really like about this is all the slight variances in colour.
I wonder if she uses them?
I wonder what her husband thinks of her collection?

Ironstone.

2009-03-03T13:45:00.003-05:00

I picked up these ironstone pieces last visit to PA. I don't really have much ironstone, but I've always liked it's simplicity. I couldn't walk by these babies. All three pieces....$4. They are a little banged up, but no chips or cracks. I think I'll just use them in my creative room to look cute on the wall, and the crock will store lots of neat things.

Isn't this handy?

2009-02-28T09:20:00.003-05:00

Give your self a hand! If you didn't know what these were, you might think it's kind of sick!
It's hand soap! I like the pudgy little baby hands : )
Check out their other eclectic products here...from Cog and Pearl in NY City

My Schwinn Cruiser : )

2009-02-27T13:02:00.003-05:00

Here it is...my dream bike! In bubble gum pink too! When we were camping so much last summer, these bikes were EVERYWHERE! So comfy and easy to ride...with a big fat seat (for a bit fat bum!)

I can just see it attached to the back of the trailer goin' down the highway (Brad would never do it!)

Just a little bit of sunshine for a dark dreary February day...