Shoppe Open

Good Morning All:

After a job scare, I have reopened my shoppe......I am trying eCrater this time instead of Etsy.

The reason being that eCrater doesn't charge to list, nor is there a time limit on your listing. Just a little savings. Please see my side panel to visit my shoppe.

I will be adding new items, so please visit often. All items will be hand crafted by me, today I will be adding some lavender dream pillows that are hand embroidered. This takes alot more time then without the embroidery but I think it is worth it. Jewelry will be coming soon, I am still honing my skills there. I have purses in the works as well. Soaps, too.

Thank you for your support.

Thank you
Gail

Jewelry

I thought I would share some of the things I have been doing lately.
Remember to click the picture for a large view.

My MIL gave me some odds and ends jewelry pieces. This beautiful
blue pendent was in there, I have kept is wanting to put a chain on, so here
it is with a new chain and clasp. I am keeping this for myself. It looks like
it could be a blue topaz, the setting is beautiful. One can dream, right?
















Here, the first pair
of earrings I put together.

Swarovski crystals,
silver spacers,
root beer color glass
beads and
rose quartz drops, on
silver plated hoops.


These I just finished.
The picture is not good
but they are
sterling silver chains, with
swarovski crystals and
silver plated crosses with
pink stones.




This is the necklace
that started all this
jewelry making.
Made with hand made
herb beads, in rose.
With reclaimed crystal
beads and antique silver
chain and clasp.

Note the clasp, I just love
this style.

These are works in
progress.
The white bracelet has reclaimed beads (white) which are shell of some kind, 3 beautiful lamp work glass beads, and acrylic leaves. I am waiting for some of the components for these two.
You know how it is when you start a new venture, it takes a while to figure out all the
pieces you need..............well, at least it takes me awhile. Grin.



Next is a rose quartz bracelet,
with 2 lamp work beads,
3 Czech Glass rounds in
Champagne luster, and
gold (plated) spacers.




So......what do you think, are they nice enough to sell?
Is it something you'd buy for yourself or
as a gift or am I wasting my time? There are so many
experience jewelry makes out there, can I compete?

RR details

This is the work I did for Moira. It is nearly time to mail this block on to the next artist, to add her touches.

This first section, I let the fabric do the work, just wanted to frame it a little and add a few beads to help "pop" the design. My addition include the two seam treatments on either side of the aqua print. The right side is a Sassa Lynne thread and the left is from Susan's thread collection dedicated to the mom's in her moms quilt.






Click for a
detailed
look.








Using the same fabric as inspiration again, I decided to do a paisley, this thread is a rayon thread called Stef Francis, Susan gave it me last summer. It is a bear to work with but I love the colors and they were perfect for this block.















An over all look at the block, it is a beauty and this picture in no way does it justice.















A sneak peak

Here is a sneak peak at what I have been up to lately, I have to warn you all.....................
NEVER......SAY.......NEVER...............you see what happens.......I wasn't ever going
to make jewelry................nor was I ever going to crazy quilt.................you'd think I learn.

TA..........DA.............














You may remember a while back I mentioned making beads from herbs. These beads are made from rose petals. I have begun to string them with crystal beads, I think it is going to be pretty, pretty fancy, too. I also have made myself a mom/grandma necklace, but the pictures were not any good so I will have to show it to you later.

More to come,

Log Cabin block in progress

When I first started my log cabin I needed to find out how to do it right. Good thing I did, too, cause I would have done it all wrong.......so to find the info I wanted, I visited
QuiltersCashe.com, if you have never been there you HAVE to go and check it out. Monica has created the greatest resource for quilters.

So I found the 12 inch log cabin instructions
http://www.quilterscache.com/L/LogCabinBlock.html and at the end are instructions for chain piecing this block. I will share it with you here, too.




Cut a 2 1/2 inch strip x WOF
(width of fabric). This will be
your center fabric (here the red)
Cut a 1 1/2 inch strip of your
first dark fab, again WOF

Sew your first dark, to the
center fabric (red), right sides
together, using a scant 1/4 inch
seam



Cut the two strips into
2 1/2 inch sections.

Make as many strip sets
as needed to make all of your
blocks, I made 70.

Stack your strip
sets on top of each other to
make cutting the 2 1/2 inch
sections easier. Stagger them
as in the picture to make it
easier & more stable cutting.


Now add the next dark
strip, which is 1 1/2 inches
wide also. All of your
following strips will be
1 1/2 " X WOF.

Press with seam toward strip.










Cut apart and
trim up.














Now add your next
strip, which will be
your first light. Continue
around and around in this
fashion.

Here you see both of
my light strips, one is
done and the other is
in the process.

I found it best to put the
1 1/2 inch strip on the bottom
this way the seam don't get caught (you can see how the one
got caught when I was doing it with the strip on the top).

Now trim the block up, I used my 4 1/2 inch square ruler for this step. Continue for
the remaining strips. Two darks, then two lights until you get them all on. Remember to
double check you measurements as you go.

I thought this was a good time saving way to stitch these up, thank you Monica for the instructions.

Want to see how hard sewing is for Miss Mew? Check out my other blog here

New Project

Here is the first block for our new king size beds quilt, only 69 more to go........LOL.

I love the log cabin block and the colors are to represent the beautiful red clay hills, covered with greens of sage and pine. On the light side the second strip is the curtain fabric.














I guess this will keep me busy for a day or two..........VBG.

RR details

I am in a RR (round robbin) group with 5 other gals. We do about 3 rounds a year.

We have just begun a new round and this is Susan's block (stocking).

My goal was to bring the red and green down into the toe area. So using red rayon thread and green Sassa Lynne "Serendipity", I think I did it. Starting with the buttonhole stitch, in the red rayon, it needed something else so I used Carole Stamples templates to help me get good half circles, using a chain stitch for the outline. Next came another set of half circles in green and some dark green beads along the buttonhole stitch.
















Next I wanted to dress up the edge of the lace that was already on the block, so with the green Sassa Lynne I created a row of herringbone stitches, adding 3 detatched chain stitches inbetween, simulating a flower, and some burgundy beads to dress it up.

The stocking is on its way to Karrin, next in line to work on it.


HAPPY VALENTINES DAY to ALL

Fran's cell pouch

Here we have Fran R's cell pouch in its final stages (it is done now). Each of the fringe lengths are hand beaded. I did not have any purchased beaded fringe that would go.

I am sorry the picture is not very good, my camera just can not capture some things very well. Speaking of which, I can not find my camera cord anywhere........sigh. I know it is here somewhere, I used it last week, so frustrating. I wanted to post my progress on Susan's stocking, we are in a RR (round robin) together and I have the pictures but can't upload them without the dang cord. Where oh where could my camera cord be?

I hope
Fran like
her pouch.















I know I have been very quite on all my blogs. I have really struggled to make a come back from all the pre holiday madness. It is working, I am feeling better and as spring gets closer I know I will get my energy back.
Hugs to all, TTUNT.........(ta, ta until next time). Grin.