How ever did this happen?

Ya ever been smacked with reality....sort of hard?  Like you look in the mirror and you don't recognize the person staring back at ya?  That's how I've been feeling lately. 

While in the shower yesterday I glanced up to the Cetaphil Pump Soap that I use on my face and it read, "it softens while it cleans."  You got to be kidding me....no wonder I'm so damn soft everywhere....I need to switch to Teenager Soap!!!  I'm convinced it is time to switch to Just Naturals....look for yourself....those old ladies look young again :)

Seems like with technology these kids have everything....I mean everything.  There is some new technology called the Electronic Driving Coach that helps keep teenagers focused on their driving.  Great for them!!!  How about an Old Lady Living Coach that reminds me what I came into the room for?  Come on folks....I'm really tired of stuff for young people....I want something I can actually use....what about you?

As you can tell, I'm heading into the M word and I'm feeling older than I did just a year ago.  I went to the Eye Doctor and he told me my vision has not changed.  I wanted to scream into his young ear, "then why on earth does it seem like I can't see a darn thing anymore!!!"  Instead, I politely thanked him and left.  I'll fix this problem....who needs eye doctors anyway, right?

This is what I have been seeing when I turn on my sewing machine.

 NOW look what I see :)  I found myself a wonderful gadget that helps even the playing field a bit.  I love this CC Bigger....now all I need is a CC Smaller to place in front of the mirror!!!  Wonder if Simplicity has considered something like that? 

You can see how it attaches to my machine...and it does not get in the way of my thread or lever in the back....I put it on in less than a minute....now that certainly helps...cuz you know the M word and frustration is potential  explosion don't ya?

While watching Karen Kay Buckley's DVD I saw she had a magnifier on her Bernina.  So I priced one for myself and I learned  the CC Bigger is so much more affordable .  Now everything much easier to see (or should I say, CC?).

In the photo above you can see my Bendable Bright Light.  If you don't have one on your sewing machine and you are over 30 years old.....ya just might want to check them out.  I've never met anyone who didn't love their Bendable Bright Light. 

I've learned about a few other lighting gadgets and they have found their way into my daily life.

Light Strip with 6 LED Lights

I really liked this LED lighting strip when I first saw it....it is so bright.

Check out how bright it is.  It has a peal and stick strip on the back....but I want mine to be mobile because there are so many places I use it....so instead of pealing off the backing....I use the sticky tack (used to put posters on kids walls).  The sticky tack (I got mine at Office Max) is inexpensive and it is soft and pliable so I can mount my light strip to almost anything. 

One of the ways I use the Light Strip with 6 Led Bulbs is to illuminate my DreamWorld sewing table ...then I use it as a light box.

Here you can see I have a piece of tracing paper and a Cub Scout Emblem that I needed to trace....I put the light strip under the table and it makes a really great light box.

This is what the light looks like under my DreamWorld sewing table.  No need to buy a light box....not when I can use what I already have.  See if those young people know about that!!!

Now, I know I've been going on and on about lights....but I've been fortunate to have been able to review the following two Beam and Read Lights.

Beam and Read Plus Magnifier LED3 Light

Beam and Read LED3 Hands Free Light

 Beam and Read LED6 Deluxe Hands Free Light

I like to do needle turn applique and other hand stitching at night in the living room.  My problem is there is not enough bright directed light to be able to see those tiny stitches well.  I've been wearing my Beam and Read with 6 LED's quite a bit because it also comes with a clip on magnifier.  There will be more information about the Beam and Read Lights very soon.....I'm going to be hosting a Mother's Day Giveaway!!!  Oh yea baby :)

Hope you are having a wonderful Monday!

Smiles,

Kelly

"S is for Scraps" & "More Loose Change" Winners Announcement

I sure hope everyone is having a wonderful Saturday.  Believe it or not, I did remember to do the random number generator thing today....without Gene reminding me...impressive ay?

The two numbers that came up were 18, Susan C., and 48 Tonic.  Both said they'd take either book....so I'm guessing the first to e-mail me with their preference will have the first choice.  I'm not deciding....it's bad enough I have to do the random number generator thing.  It is fun giving things away....but no fun having anything to do with the process....if it were up to me....I'd give everyone one :)

S is for SCRAPS, 18 Great Quilts

by Gayle Bong

More Loose Change, 14 Quilts from Nickles, Dimes, and Fat Quarters

by Claudia Plett and Le Ann Weaver

Thank you to the 91 folks who took the time to leave comments.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Susan and Tonic, please e-mail me at IHaveANotion@yahoo.com with your mailing information and preference.  I'm going to give ya a week from today to claim your book otherwise I'm going to draw again.  Some folks don't e-mail to claim their prizes and I don't want to become a store house of stuff....I'd rather give others a chance to take it off my hands.
Smiles,
Kelly

Playing with my Appli-K-Kutz

I wanted to play with some of Patsy Thompson's Feather Dies so I searched some dyed fabrics in my stash.  Once I found a fun color combination I got out my Mistyfuse and fused it to the back of my fabric.  I prefer Mistyfuse because it is so lightweight that I don't feel it behind the fabric.  I've used even the lightest of the other brand fusibiles....still stiffer than Mistyfuse....that is why I like it (in case you were wondering :).

This is a pix of Mistyfused laid over the fabric before I pressed it.  Since Mistyfuse doesn't use paper people often ask how I get it fused to my fabric. 

I lay the Mistyfuse over my fabric and cover it with my Goddess Sheet and press.  Once I pull the Goddess Sheet off....this is what it looks like.

Then I take it over to where I'm cutting out my appliques.

So many people say using Dies wastes fabric.  Not for me.  As you can see her I cut out a paper Small Feathers  and  I laid  it over the fabric to pre-view where I thought I might like it on the dyed fabric.  I also could have used the negative space of my paper feather but I chose the positive

Then I cut out the fabric and lay it over the die and put my recycled paper over it and put it through my Sizzix Big Shot.

It was that easy....I just took the applique over to my design area and started to play.  This is when the real trouble started....Way too much fun and too many choices.  I could have played with this for days.

I wanted a very large flower so I used the Sizzix Flower Album Die.  This die was clearly made for small albums....but I wanted it for an applique die.  So, I hammered down the area of metal where the small circle was so I would not cut a little hole in my fabric.  Important Note: This die was made for making photo albums. I bought it and hammered down the metal in the small circle so I could use it for applique in quilting. Once this is done, the warranty is VOID. Just thought you should know :)

That is how I got the larger flower below.  I started playing with all the options to find a color combination I liked....this is what the process was like....first I changed the orange background fabric to black.

ONE

Then I started playing with options for the flower colors and shapes.

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIV E

SIX

SEVEN

After awhile they all started to look the same so I separated out all of the flowers I made and went to bed.

Today I walked over and started playing again....I think I like this combination the best....what do you think?  The first one or the second one with the yellow circle center?  Do you like these combinations better than the ones above?  I've not exactly decided on the placement of the feathers....weather to have them connect to the flower or not....that will probably be tomorrow.

EIGHT

 NINE

I wanted a flower larger than the Flower Album Die so I took the dark purple flower I had cut from the Flower Album Die and took it to my printer.  Thankfully I now have a printer that will reduce and enlarge (thanks to MJ:).  I enlarged the flower by 110% then loaded a piece of PrintNFuse into my printer.

 I copied that flower onto the PrintNFuse and fused it to the orange fabric and cut it out.  Now I have an exact copy of that flower but larger.  I'm one of those folks who can't stand being frustrated and I want it to come out nice so I have learned a variety of ways to change the size of various shapes.  

I store my un-used appliques in an acid free envelope that I borrowed from my Scrapbooking Supplies.

 Another question I get asked often is how do I store my dies.  You already know I'm a visual person so it does not exist if I don't see it.  I tape the paper inserts from the packaging to my dies and then I put them into my Sizzix Storage Boxes.  I like these boxes because they stack nicely and it helps my work space tidy.

 There are trays in the bottom of the heavy boxes ....hopefully you can see in this photo....

and I just store them like that....no rocket science here.  If you are still reading, I'm curious to hear if you like the flower with the feathers and if so, which one is your favorite.

Smiles,

Kelly

International Quilt Festival, Cincinnati 2011 Last Chapter

Lots more photos and information to share about IQF....you know I take a zillion pictures everywhere I go.

While walking down an isle I spotted the Laundry Basket Quilts booth and I got excited because I knew I'd find some familiar faces.  I saw Michael and a young woman from the back....hmmmm.  Inquiring minds wanted to know...but when the young woman turned around I knew she had to be Edyta's daughter.  Michael and Delfina were working the Laundry Basket Quilts booth because Mom was home with the other two children who were on spring break. 

Nice to see them having some Daddy and Daughter time!

This is Applique Affair, one of my favorite patterns by Edyta Sitar.  And while I'm on the subject of Edyta....guess who has a pattern featured in the Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest, Perfect for Precuts?

Anna Sitar, Edyta's youngest daughter!!!!  Way to go Anna :) 

"Oh Anna, your quilt is so pretty and I'm glad you had the desire and courage to make a quilt and submit the photos for publication....nice job!"

As I walked the isles in Cincinnati I came upon another friendly and familiar face......

Karen Montgomery from The Quilt Company, PA.  She was demonstrating her Creative Grids Quick Trim Ruler before I walked up. 

When I was speaking with Karen at the Checker Distributors 62nd Anniversary Open House, she told me she does not like "one hit wonders."  This is what she calls rulers with only one purpose. 

The Quick Trim Ruler not only makes circles it also has a 45 degree angle that cross at the quarter inch to trim points from half square triangles and flying geese.   It is also great for making the blocks pictured below.

 LuLu Bears were new to me and I could not help but stop and marvel at Luann Bowen's Bears.

 They had sold so many items that they were apologizing for their display and I laughed.  I loved it and I had no clue how it looked when the show started. 

 Look at these beautiful strawberries....they looked so yummy.   The bears stole my heart....I only wished I had taken more close-ups of them.

 Click here and here  to see more of LuLu Bears....you gotta see them :)

Then....much to my delight I ran into the Pieceful Designs booth. 

I was so excited when I saw these cupcakes I begged Pam Bocko to please let me take photos for my blog.  I just had to share these with everyone.....look how beautiful these cupcake pincushions are.....

"With a Cherry On Top" is the name of this pattern and if you love cheerful pincushions, click here to buy the pattern from Pieceful Designs.

Pam did not know me from Adam and yet she allowed me to photograph her booth and cupcakes.  I'm thrilled Pam trusted me.  Many people take the photos and then copy the designs.  I now know enough pattern designers to tell you that copying their patterns  is really a bad choice.  So much time, energy and finances go into taking a pattern to market ....keep that in mind when you think to yourself...hey I could do that.....it's not that easy and it is so important to honor the designers creativity.

Ok....I'm finished with the Cincinnati photos for now.  I did take more but I'm going to share those when I have more information to go with them.

Smiles,
Kelly