It Was COLD and RAINY Today :(

Hey where is the Spring weather? It was cold here today and it rained....I thought it would turn into snow. Schuks!!! I really wanted to be outside today doing some yard work. Not today!!

The cold weather made me think of the hats I made for Aaron and Zach. I learned about Polar Fleece hats at the Feb. Retreat I went to in PA. The book with the pattern is, "Polar Fleece Pizzazz." It is a great book. There are patterns for hats and fleece socks too!!! I sware before next winter I'm going to have a collection of polar fleece socks that I've made for myself. I love those socks.

Speaking of loving something. Do you think Zach loves his Pokemon cards?

Back to the topic!!! Which today is my Fish Applique Wall Hanging. Perhaps the reason I like the things I make so much is because they have such age on them....like fine wine!! :)

I started this wall hanging about 3 years ago. It was soaked and the pattern ruined when my basement flooded a year ago. Then I resurrected it and became determined to finish it. Well...I know you must be thinking....well it is probably finished. Wrong!!! I need to get it quilted still. It's been suggested that I (MJE) hand quilt it myself. Hmmmmm, I just love it so much that I think I will have it machine quilted and ready to hang. Guess I need to get off my boot-ay and get it done.

In case you have not noticed....I've started following a new blog. There are lots of free patterns and tutorials listed. How fun is that? I'm excited about seeing what gets posted there.
Have a warm day....Especially you Lettie....in Hawaii.....yea...please do stay warm. Unlike us por- ole folks in OH :)

Just 2 Days to post your comment to be included in the bag tag giveaway.

Smiles,

Kelly

Circle Quilt Pattern

I forgot to mention that I saw a copy of the Fons & Porter Easy Quilts Spring 2008 (cover said to leave on news stands until 4/09) and there was a free pattern to make a circle quilt.

Thought maybe some of you might be interested.

Kelly

Spring Is Almost Here...I Have Buds

Spring is almost here. I have buds on my tulips!!!! Hurray. I'd go out and take a picture of them and paste it here....but it is dark outside now. So instead, I put a picture of a recent punchneedle project I completed. The pattern is by Angela Anderson . She offered it as a give away back in March. If I were a faster reader I would have realized I had to have it done by March 16th. When I became aware of the deadline, I realized I had to commit myself to sitting down and finishing the project. As life happens, Zach got sick....my business picked up....it was always something. I was mortified that I let Angela down. I e-mailed her and asked what I could do to make amends. I believe in making amends. She said it was OK she understood. So I sat down and finished the pattern on Saturday. I'm so proud of how well it turned out. I've only made about 6 pieces of punchneedle. I have a long way to go but I'm still happy with my progress so far. I used regular sewing thread for all but the center.

Speaking of things taking off....I can't believe how many hits and visits I've had on my blog on Easter Sunday. Geez, I never thought Easter Sunday would be a day to get on the computer. I'm so very pleased with the feedback I've been getting. Thank you all for your kind words and suggestions.

Speaking of suggestions, someone asked about a dust cover for the NEW Easy Reach Carousels. There has been a pattern added to my website for the dust cover for the Easy Reach Thread Carousel. Now that is fast!!! Thanks to Virginia!

I received lots of positive comments on the gifts I've received. That was nice too. Many people e-mailed me wanting one of Mary Jane's "Bosom Pin Cushions." So I added 4 to my website as well. So if you want to own one of those beautiful Bosom Cushions....just feel free to click on over to the shop and order yourself one. While you are at it....order one for a stitching friend's birthday too :)

Need some feedback here: I have an idea to add a book dedication page to my website. Anyone who wanted to dedicate a sewing book/DVD in honor of someone/anyone or group could purchase the book from me (at cost plus postage to send it to the designated Library or Guild) and I would then send it to a library of choice or to a guild of choice. Do you think that would be a good program? Any other ideas like that? Please let me know. I'm all for giving back and I think that might be a wonderful way to honor a loved one or friend. Just post your comments so I can get more ideas. I would somehow get a "book plate" or something dedicating the book/DVD to affix to the book/DVD.

Hugs,

Kelly

Wooo Hooo It's Easter!!!

Easter has become one of my favorite holidays. I love that it beckons in Spring and all the beautiful flowers associated with Spring. The Egg Hunts are a ball to watch and the coloring of eggs is a great time too. I think another reason I really like Easter is that people don't "expect" gifts. It is like Thanksgiving in the sense that people gather to celebrate and enjoy one another's company. There is no big stress about gifts or expectations (at least not for me :)

Soooo, to continue with the theme of "FAVORITES" I'm going to share some pictures of some of my favorite hand made gifts that I've been given. Let me preface this by saying it does not include things given to me by my children. Those are very precious to me and I feel private about those sort of things. These are items I've been given by other stitchers and crafters.
Because it takes soooo long to upload pictures I'm only going to share 5 with you today.

The first is a Friendship Block Miniature that was given to me by Mary Jane when I left PA and moved to OH. She had lots of wonderful, kind, interesting, smart, loving, beautiful gals sign their names to a block and made it into a miniature wall hanging for me. I treasure every name on that quilt. What an incredible reminder of 11 very sweet months of friendships built while I lived in Mansfield, PA. Oh yea, it also has the first fabric post card I've ever received. Pretty cool ay?

The next is a bag I keep my hexagons for a mystery project I work on when I need a hand stitching project to carry with me. Mary Jane made this from scraps of fabric I had used while making a table runner for my sister-in-law. I threw the scraps into her trash and much to my surprise I found this bag in the mail as a gift. I cracked up laughing. My trash became my treasure!!!

This is a "Bosom Pin Cushion" that is worn around my neck. Mary Jane had made this (her design) and I just loved it. She gave it to me and then taught me how to make one. That is what I absolutely love about stitchers, quilters, and crafters.....they are so willing to show me how to do something and share their techniques with me. I really admire this tradition and I follow in these ladies footsteps. I always show others how to do what I know how to do and encourage their work.

XXXDDD????ZZZZ and other curse words...I back spaced and the picture deleated. I'm not going back through all this to add the picture. I'll just add it to the next post!!! There is more than one way to slice a cake!!!
IMAGINE A PICTUE OF A GREEN SCISSOR FOB HERE

Here is a great gift from Kay Lyman of Mansfield, PA. She made this scissor fob and I really like the green beads and the tassel. She gave it to me at a "Quilt Tea" where we both displayed our work. I admired it and she gave it to me. Green is one of my very favorite colors so I enjoy this scissor fob quite a bit.

Kay also made this Pin Cushion. She had made several to sell at the "Quilt Tea". I think it is so cheerful and fun. I keep it on my sewing work table for my pins and needles. It is weighted on the bottom so it does not tip over.

These are the things that make me smile and keep me creating when I'm alone in my sewing area. I'm very blessed to have such great friends and generous too!!!

Smiles,

Kelly

Here Is The PIcture Of The Green Scissor Fob

This picture was deleted (by whom I do not know....or don't want to reveal) from my Easter post...so here is the picture. The green scissor fob given to me by Kay Lyman.

Kelly

Some Of My Favorite Creations

Yesterday I shared some of my favorite gadgets. Today I'm going to show you some of the things that I've made that I love. I have these things in my sewing area and I enjoy looking at them. I have approximately 1/3 of our basement as my sewing area. I feel very lucky to have that much space.

The first picture is of a sewing notions bag I made from a Jan Kerton pattern. She taught a class that I took on how to make this lovely bag. It was so much fun. I loved the little sewing notions on the side and the teddy bear. The front of the bag has a bear smiling and the back has a frown.

I carry my scissors, needles, thread, bees wax and threader in this bag.

This is a paper weight I made while in Australia. If you read a previous post you may remember I met up with Jan Kerton while in AU. I was invited to a stitching group and I made this paper weight while I was there. This is another of Jan's designs. I guess I really like her designs as I have many more. I like the quality of the materials she uses and learning new techniques that she teaches. If you ever get a chance to take one of her classes....I promise you won't be disappointed. I'll also say you will probably laugh a lot and have sore cheeks from smiling so much.

I really like the beautiful colors of ribbon used in this Ribbon Needle Holder. The pattern came from a gal in my Michigan Smockers Guild. I was at her house one night before a meeting and she pulled a box out from under her bed. She showed me the needle case and I fell in love. I could not believe she had the thing under her bed in a box. After much coaxing she agreed to teach a class and that is when I learned to fold ribbon flowers and make this needle holder. The velvet behind the flowers makes the needle holder feel lush in your hands. Can you imagine putting something like this under your bed? Not me baby!!! I'd like to see what else she keeps under the bed and in the closets....but it is still considered rude to snoop :)

Last but not least is my smocked scissor fob ball. Again, I made this while living in MI. That wonderful Smocking Guild had a group get together and we made these scissor fobs. I'm not that good at Smocking. It is nice to look at but I probably would not have made anything smocked if the ladies were not so willing to teach me and pleat my fabric for me. The heirloom stitching and sewing they do is breath taking. My little scissor ball....not so breath taking....but it sure does make me smile when I see it!!

I hope you've enjoyed traveling through my sewing space with me. If not...don't leave a comment to that effect :) I just want to think my things are all that and two bags of Frito's!!!

Smiles,

Kelly

Some Of My Favorite Gadgets

These are some of my favorite sewing "gadgets" that I use all the time. I will post more pictures of my sewing area and my favorite things that I have there. The first one is called a "Bosom Pin Cushion." It was designed and made by Mary Jane Ehlich of Covington PA. I remember seeing Mary Jane with one around her neck as she was teaching some gals to hand quilt. I thought to myself....boy I'd sure like to have something that handy to plant my needles when I'm sitting and sewing. I had no idea at the time that she made them and sells them. I just love wearing this Bosom Cushion especially at retreats. I get the best feedback from the other stitchers when I wear it.


This is a close up of the little pocket that holds your thimble. I think that is so neat....a little thimble pocket. That keeps me from searching under the seat cushions for where my thimble rolled away to. It always rolls off my lap and down the cushion.

The next picture is a close up of my Hawaiian applique. I'll show the entire picture in another entry. But this is an example of when I used the Piping Hot Binding tool. See how nice the binding came out? This little tool is so handy when making piping. I use it for piping on my larger quilts too. If you look closely at my Circle Quilt from another post you will see the nice piping on that too.

And here it is.....waaahhhh laaaaahhhhh the Piping Hot Binding tool. No magician required :)

Can you tell I've never used the binding that came in the bag? I like the cotton piping the best. That is the piping that is included and the booklet. The tool is laying on top....it is acrylic. Very useful tool. I lent it to my Mother when she made a slip cover for her sofa. She wanted the piping on the edge of each cushion. Now there is a woman with courage!!!

I stumbled into this little gadget. It is called a Gypsy Gripper. It grabs onto my ruler and templates so I can move them easily. I never knew I would really like something like this...but I really like it. It is very helpful when I'm cutting lots of pieces. I don't have to keep sliding the ruler over and over and over. I just pick it up and move it. I usually use green tape to mark my measurement lines so I don't even have to continue to look at the numbers on the ruler. I think that bright light adhesive tape rocks!!!

OK, now this next thing I know you are going to laugh and say, "Who the heck would buy that thing." I am one of those people who can't stand it when I can't get something stuck in a small space. For example, I hate vacuuming out my van and I can't get those crumbs between the seats and those bolts or the shifter in the middle....crumbs get into that too. Then there is the dryer screen. I can never seem to clean that thing well and the vacuum hose I have won't fit into that space. The hose is just not small or flexible. How about those dust puppies and crumbs inside your keyboard, your sewing machine, your serger, your embroidery machine, your table saw, behind narrow book cases.....OK I'll stop. Well, I'm the nut who bought this thing and absolutely loves it. I'm giving it as birthday gifts to my siblings this Sunday. (They're all coming for Easter and to celebrate their birthdays) This fits into your hose on your vacuum and then there are little tools that attach to the flexible hose. You can get into almost any small or narrow space with this little fella. So now you know my secret!!!

Yes this is a picture of my kitchen floor. Please don't notice that I've been writing blog entries and not moping like I need to. A girl just can't do it all.....in one day anyway :)

OK, that is round one of my favorite things. I do happen to have some of these on my website so you can check them out. I always list items at much less than retail....so you have extra money for supplies to do your creating!!!

Kelly

NEW on the Market!!! Be the first to see it here!!!

Virginia Lauer of Illinois has just come out with her "Easy Reach Thread Carousel" and I'm lucky enough to be able to carry these in my store!!! I thought they were so neat and I'm all for supporting other women who have an invention or creation and they want to take it to market. There are two Carousel's. One is for regular size spools of thread and the other is for king cones. The notions caddy can fit on the side to hold your tools. Isn't this soooo cool? I think they are so cool that I'm going to offer everyone who leaves a comment on this entry the opportunity to win their choice of 4 Bag Tags or 4 Magnets!!! Just leave your comments on what you think of Virginia's Thread Carousel's and I will draw a winner on the 15th of April. Now that is two give aways going on at one time on this good ole blog. Wooo Hooo!!!

All you have to do to have a chance to win....is leave a comment. Only one comment per person please. If you are interested in purchasing one or 10 of Virginia's Thread Carousel's please click on the link to my store on this blog....upper right....

Smiles,

Kelly

Easter is almost here and today is Passover

This is a smocked Easter egg that I learned to make when I belonged to the Smocking Guild in Michigan. I made several to give as gifts and saved only a couple for myself. Unpacking them each year is like a new surprise.

Last night I drove all the way out to the Toledo Botanical Garden for what I thought was a Toledo Needle Arts Guild meeting. I was there promptly at 6:30 with my stitching in my bag and I was excited. I've been wanting to go for over a year and just have never made it to a meeting. The conference rooms were filled with people that were obviously not stitchers. No bags of threads, hoops, needles....nothing....zip, zero, zilch. I phoned Rick (my husband) and he googled the Needle Arts Guild and it meets in a completely different place and the meetings are no longer on the second Wed. of them month....they are on the third Wed. Well, I guess I was relieved they did not change their meetings to the first Wed of the month. Guess I'll have to wait another week to meet the gals there.

My scheduled time out did not go to waste....oh no....I stopped at Sally Anns and got several new spring tops and two pair of carpi's. Not all is lost!!!


These are some magnets I made to give the boy's teachers in their Easter "baskets". I put some batting in the top to make them puffy. I especially like the Dr. Seuss magnets....sooo darn cute.

Hope it is warm and sunny in your part of the world today. Don't forget to leave a comment so I can enter your name in my drawing to win 4 bag tags. You have to leave a comment to win!!!

Kelly

You just have to see this gals bags!!!

I was just getting ready to sign off and I clicked on someones blog. Then on another and another. I saw the name: Polka Dot Pineapple and I just had to go and see what was there. My very lucky night...I saw the cutest bags and this gal has a give away going on. Of course I left a comment....I'm not stupid!!! :) She also has tutorials and they are very cute.

So here you go: http://mousechirpy-polkadotpineapple.blogspot.com/

Ya can't say I don't share!!! Cuz you know I do....and I love it.

Good night all....and Good morning AU
Kelly

Circle Quilt

This is a quilt I made for my living room. I really like the circles and how they play together. Janet Bellinger of Wellsboro, PA was teaching the class at Needles Quilt Shoppe. I decided to take the class and went into Needles to select some fabric. Up until this point I had mainly made quilts as gifts for others.

Katie and Mary,owners of Needles Quilt Shop , encouraged me to pick fabrics that go with my furniture and make a quilt for myself. Well, that was a novel idea. Make something for myself!!! Hmmmm.

Our furniture was in storage and had been for almost a year. So I dug out some photos of my furniture and took them into Needles. Mary and Katie stacked so many bolts of fabric on tables that I thought their arms would fall off. I'm sure their arms have huge muscles from all that hauling and toting those bolts of fabric. I went through the stack and selected the ones I liked the best. They encouraged me to pick things I might not otherwise select as they would enhance the other fabrics I had chosen. So I stretched and got some with little flowers, stars, dots, etc.

Once I started the practice piece for sewing on a curve, I was off and running. I finished the top in less than a week (if my memory serves me correctly!!).

This is the Quilt Label:

“Around and Around”
In the year 2005, I took a circle quilt class from Janet Bellinger of Wellsboro , PA at Needles Quilt Shop. Katie Mader & Mary Guinn, the shop owners, inspired me to make a quilt for myself and assisted with the selection of fabrics.
Janet did the long arm quilting and my friend Mary Jane Ehlich helped me put the piping and binding on.
Completed July 2007 by:
Kelly Howlett March Jackson

Janet has made many circle quilts and she also is a long arm quilter. Who better to do the quilting? She finished it and then Mary Jane and I sat and worked on the piping and the binding. Mary Jane had just gotten the "Piping Hot Binding" tool. It was so great. The piping was made in no time and the edges were nice and even; very easy to sew on the edge of the quilt top.

I'm very proud of this quilt and happy that all these other women have helped make the finished project so beautiful. The quilt hangs over a chair in my living room. I love wrapping up in it on a cold evening. Speaking of cold evenings....it was snowing again....hmmm...April....come on SUNSHINE and warmer weather :)

Kelly

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

The punchneedle projects completed by Starr were, "Brenda at Country Stitches http://www.countrystitchesonline.com/ " designs. Starr said, "That's the first time I tried her Valdani threads cause I have heard so much about them and wanted to see for myself what everyone was talking about."

The purse was designed and punched by Starr. I guess I forgot to mention these things. Oops. It is a lot like quilting. The top can be pieced by one person and another person does the quilting. Sorry Brenda for the mistake as your designs are beautiful!!!

Kelly

Who Ordered The SNOW???

Snow on April 6th? Who ordered this stuff? It sure was not me!!! I enjoyed the snow all winter long and now I'm done with it....but I guess it is not done with us here in OH. I did not let the snow get in the way of my plans to visit with Starr Burgess and work on improving my punchneedle embroidery.

I had a great afternoon....did I say GREAT.....ok.....you got it then. I had been looking forward to visiting and seeing more of her work so I was so grateful that my husband was able and willing to take the boys for the afternoon. I have posted only a few of the pictures I took because of the upload time on blogger. I will upload more again soon. These are some samples of her work:



This sits on Starr's sewing table. How fun is this? Everything in her room was organized and kept in drawers and rolling carts. I just wanted to sit for hours and look through the books, magazines and threads. It is so much fun to look through other people's things....mine don't seem nearly as exciting. I've named her "Gadget Girl" because Starr has all the gadgets. I saw things today that I did not even know existed. My "to buy" list just got longer!!! Yikes



The thread used in the back ground-tan and white-is variegated thread. I really like the dimension it adds to the work. None of these works were finished/framed. We just folded back the fabric and snapped a picture.

Starr uses different gauges to achieve the 3-d effect in the flowers and border. This is much more visible on the following photos.

The sheep in this photo was punched in fuzzy thread. The sheep really stands out and is fuzzy and warm looking. The flowers just pop off the fabric. Again, we just folded over the fabric and the photos don't really do the work justice.


The fine detail in this piece really caught my attention. I have been having the most difficult time getting my work to look like a fine detailed picture. After a few demonstrations and some instruction I was able to understand how this effect is achieved.

So are you wondering if my piece is completed? Well it is not. I was planning on working on it this evening and I spent the better part of my night working on getting these photos to upload. I have made a beautiful slide show of her work but I could not get it to load on blogger. So I will figure another way to share all these lovely works.

Now lets hope there is no more snow here until December......Kelly

Part 2 of Who Ordered This Snow?

So here is Gadget Girl looking at her little laptop. It is so small and cute....I guess if you like fine details this is the computer for you!!! See the smile on Starr's face? You would have no idea that just a few short months ago her basement flooded and all of her work was ruined. The water came up the walls and the insurance company sent in a crew to tear out the walls and get rid of everything that was wet....yes everything!!! Can you imagine? She lost many pieces of punchneedle that she had done over the years. Those pieces could have been cleaned but the crew took "everything" that was wet and got rid of it. This is not to even mention all her supplies and thousands of dollars of damage to her sewing machines. And Starr is smiling. I asked her how she keeps from getting sick over what she has lost and she said she looks forward to the pieces she is punching and the new business she is starting. She and her sister are starting their own company and selling their own Punchneedle Designs and supplies!!! I know they will be very successful.


With all the snow I thought I would post some fitting pictures!!! Here is a beautiful piece with the variegated thread again. I think it really gives the background some pizazz. I wonder if Santa leaves Easter eggs?



The next two pictures are of a evening bag Starr punched. Then entire bag is punchneedle. I'm not sure if the sparkle threads come through on this photograph as well as they did when I was holding the bag. The fuzzy yard makes the cuffs and hat really stand out. The glitter thread used in the snow makes it glisten.

I really enjoyed listening to Starr talk about making things that are useful with punchneedle and not just pictures. She has made a checkbook cover and an eye glass case. She told me to think outside the frame more than once today. I thought perhaps I could do a small design and put it on one of my magnets. Then she mentioned I could punch the entire bag tags that I like so much. So many ideas. The last thing I will say before I close is .... "if it goes through the needle....you can punch with it." There are no hard and fast rules....just create and enjoy.

In typical stitcher style I came home with gifts...thread....magazines and books to look at...a punchneedle box with magnet...a razor....and a ton of websites I can look at. I have yet to get together with stitchers that they are not giving something to another stitcher. Maybe that is why I really enjoy the company of quilters and stitchers in general.....they are typically kind, generous, thoughtful and willing to teach another person interested in learning. What a great crowd to hang with ay?

Smiles,

Kelly

Silhouette Applique

One of the blogs I follow and enjoy is Sew Love Sew. Rowena has discovered Silhouette Appliqué and was writing about her experience and how she discovered doing this. Here is what she said:

“I was running out my 'train projects'. So I was searching internet for appliqués and embroidery projects that I thought I could do on the train. I found some animal appliqués that were free to download. I printed them. Then I saw some Sunbonnet Sue projects that I thought quite cute but they're not free. Then, the Sunbonnet Sue pictures reminded me of DD wearing her sunhats. Isn't she the same cute as Sue?

So I printed these photo out and cut her out. I'll have to admit my very limited English vocabulary and culture knowledge. I just learned this 'silhouette' from my co-forumer (thanks AJ!) at my favorite baby forum so I decided to use the correct term for this 'technique'.”

I think these are just great and what a wonderful gift idea for grandparents. Now I have to go through my photos for some inspiration. Thanks Rowena for letting me share you work. I think it is great!!

Kelly

Quilted Note Cards and Fabric Post Cards

Sewing on scrapbook paper? Yes I did. I stitched these layered note cards and embellished them with buttons. They were fun to send out to my stitching friends. This was before I learned about fabric post cards. I've recently learned to make those and have even included my 4 year old son in the process.

ZACH'S FIRST FABRIC POST CARD


My 4 year old son is the designer of this beautiful fabric post card. He was watching me sew and asked if he could make something special for our guests. My friends were visiting from Japan and he wanted something "special" to give them. I let him go through my scraps and he climbed up onto my tall stool and he began cutting out little pieces of fabric. Then he ran upstairs to get some foamies and some stickers too. Boy was he angry when I had moved his little pieces of fabric over a few inches. "Mommy you messed up my work!!!" Well, I guess he told me. He took several minutes placing each piece of fabric on the front of the post card. Then he choose the color of thread and the stitch that we use for each seam and embellishment. Zach was so proud of himself and I was too. I even let him press the buttons to change the stitches. He thought that was big time sewing!!









Then he signed his card.





These are the recipients of Zach's beautiful card. Jim and Chika were so pleased to receive such a nice gift. Made the crystal bowl I bought them for their engagement look a whole lot less valuable :)

Have a great Saturday!!
Kelly

More Easter fun...and Don't Forget"Tag You're It"

This cute little thing is called a chickummyjig. I found it while surfing and the site gives you a free down loadable pattern. There is still a week left before Easter, I wonder how many we can make before Easter. I have posted the link below so you can go and download the pattern if you want to make one.

I think I most feel like a little kid at Easter. I just love Easter egg hunts and Easter baskets. I even had my kids make baskets for their teachers and the bus driver. I used to really enjoy Christmas years ago but now Easter is my "fun" holiday. Maybe because people don't "expect" to celebrate. They are typically surprised and pleased when you do something for them for Easter. Here is the link if you want to make one of these cute fellas.
http://whipup.net/2009/03/29/easter-tutorial-chickummyjig/

I'm sitting here writing this wishing I were in Lancaster with the girls. I read their blogs and they are away having fun I'm sure. I am going this weekend to visit Starr and she is going to give me some punchneedle tips. I'm very excited to see more of her work. (Her work is the first featured on my blog)

Don't forget to leave a comment so your name will go into a drawing to receive 4 Bag Tags!!! The deadline is April 15th.

Smiles,

Kelly

Free Embroidery Machine

Do you want a free embroidery machine? If the answer is yes, go to www.YouCanQuiltThis.com/blog and enter to win. If you don't want to win this machine, go to You Can Quilt This dot com and enter the contest and give the machine to me :)

I found this on a blog that lists free gifts from bloggers. These days you don't even have to go into a store and fill in one of those entry forms to win a prize. You can click from home. Would you have ever have dreamed this would all be happening? I never in my wildest dreams would have thought up the Internet....much less cell phones. I remember when I was in my early 20's someone saying one day there would be phones in cars. I laughed as I thought of all those long cords being drug down the highway. Now....my kids have never known life without cell phones or the Internet. I guess I'm sounding very old about now and I'm feeling more and more like my Grandmother. I guess neither of those things are too bad, right?

Please let me know if you win and don't want the machine. I'll send you some money for postage so you can send it to me !!! :)

Smiles,
Kelly

My Internet Was Out Today

My Internet went out today. It has been slow as molasses for the last several days and this morning...no connection at all. The good news is the repair person arrived and fixed it in less than an hour. I was thrilled. He said his mother quilts and he gets a quilt every Christmas. I told him he probably did not realize how very lucky he is and that I want to get on her Christmas list too!!


This is a picture of some Stump Work I made and gave to a friend as a gift. I took a class from Jan Kerton of Bustles and Bows. This is a link to the store she works from. http://www.bustleandbows.com.au/embroidery-classes-jan-kerton.htm

Jan lives in Melbourne, AU and comes to teach classes in the US. I met her in South Carolina about 8 years ago. When I had the opportunity to visit AU with my husband a few years ago I looked her up. Rick was working and I had the day to myself in Melbourne. I remembered only that she lived in AU and not where. So went to the town center to use one of the computers I had seen there. I Googled Jan Kerton and up popped her name and the address of the shop. So I ventured out on street car to the area and began walking until I found the shop. It was amazing....I had goose bumps. I was standing in a store I never thought I would ever be in and seeing the patterns of the lovely woman who had taught me to make such lovely things. I mentioned to the gal behind the counter that I had met Jan in the US and was by chance visiting the area. She said simply, "Well if you'd like to talk to Jan she is in the back room teaching a class." It was like a siting of Elvis for me. Unbelievable!! What is the likelihood that I would be in AU, standing in a stitching shop and Jan Kerton was by chance in the back room??? I knocked on the door and she opened the door and gave me a big hug and smile. She remembered my face and invited me to join her class. What a great experience for me. I was invited back later in the week to learn more about Brazilian Embroidery. The work the ladies were doing was absolutely gorgeous. It was a peak experience for me for sure.

It is almost bus time here. My son gets off the bus and I have to be out in the driveway to get him.

Have a great day!
Kelly

KA JINKER

Here it is, the Ka Jinker. The cool tool that will add fun embellishments to any project. I've posted pictures below of two really cute examples of how the Ka Jinker can be used. I think it would be great for fabric postcards too.


This apron is embellished using the Ka Jinker. How sweet is this? This would make a really neat Easter gift. Do you want to know what size I wear??? OK, enough kidding. I think this thing is so cool I should embellish my under garments and shock my husband. How funny would that be? Better yet, embellish his and wait for him to find them.

This pair of jeans and belt were embellished too. How easy would that be to get some things like this at garage sales this summer and embellish them and make them new again. It would be cute to make those cute jean purses too.

The KaJinker starter kit retails for 30.00. I sell it for 22.00....that is 8 FREE dollars for you to use at garage sales this summer getting jeans to embellish!!

Kelly

HIPPITY HOPPITY EASTER IS ON ITS WAY

These are some covered buttons that I made into refrigerator magnets for my girlfriend. I thought they might be a nice gift idea for Easter too. I use the Dritz cover buttons and take the shank of the back. Then I hot glue a magnet to the back. She loves cats so I used little cat faces. You can use almost any scraps to make these magnets. If you prefer thumb tacks...hot glue thumb tacks to the back. Wa La....you have a nice little gift to give to friends, family, teachers etc.

The last set I made I put a little bit of batting in to make them pop. You can embellish them with sequins, beads, bullion roses, buttons and anything else your creative mind can come up with. Have you seen the cool new new tool called the KaJinker? (look under notions at http://www.ihavea-notion.com/) This tool has a tag gun and it connects great embellishments to fabrics. I think it would be awesome to embellish magnets, totes and fabric postcards.


How about this Easter basket?

Isn't this the cutest Easter Basket? I just love it. I want one. I don't think my little fellas would appreciate one of these....a cardboard box is good with them as long as it is filled with lots of candy and a toy. Jelly Rolls are used to make the basket. The pattern and tutorial can be found here: http://www.modabakeshop.com/2009/03/fabric-easter-basket.html.

There are lots of other free patterns and tutorials on their site to check out. I like free, alot. I've always been that way. When my husband goes to conferences I always ask him to being me the gifts. He thinks I'm nuts because I like free pens. I make good use of those pens :)

Speaking of free things....I collect Box Tops For Education. They are those little pink labels on items at the grocery store. Go to http://www.boxtops4education.com/ to see all the items they come on. I collect them for my son's school. If you are not collecting them for anyone, I would love it if you would save them for us. When I go to do my recycling each week I always find extras on the packages people toss out. If Box Tops 4 Education were to tape a dime on top of the box instead of a pink label worth 10 cents, folks would not throw them away. We also collect the Campbell Soup labels. I look it as free money for the school. Like I said...I like free.

What is the best thing you gotten free lately? Send me a pix, I'd like to see it.

Kelly

TAG.... YOU'RE IT

THIS IS NOT AN APRIL FOOLS GAG!!!

Would you like to have 4 bag tags FREE? For every 25 comments I recieve on this blog I will send out 1 set of 4 bag tags. The names will be drawn randomly from each grouping of 25. So if I recieve 150 comments, I will be sending out 4 bag tags to 6 lucky people. You can leave as many comments as you would like. Each one counts as one entry. Please make sure you leave your contact information on each comment so I can get in touch with the winners to send them their bag tags. Good luck!! I will draw for names on April 15th.

Kelly

Notice Something Different?

I messed up my template on my blog so it looks different today. I am working on having it restored to it's previous appearance. I backed it up...but now it says error. I guess it is an April's Fools trick....from Blogger to me :)

Kelly