Quilt #2 - The Bunny Quilt

My goal this year is to finish 10 quilts by December 31.  Today I finished Quilt #2, the Bunny Quilt.  I realize that there is only 7 weeks left until the end of the year, but I have a lot of quilts that are almost done.  Do I think I can finish 8 more in that time?  I hope so, but we'll see.

I had picked up the bunny panels while at a quilt show a few years back.  I put some green fabric sashing around the small bunny motifs and then made them the same size as the larger bunny panels.  

I framed it in a pretty tan and then added another cream border.  The backing is tan, also and I used the same color for the binding.  I quilted it with a stipple free-motion that I did on my domestic machine, a Bernina 550.  

Then I washed it to make it nice and soft and ready to give to the new baby girl.

Here is close-up pic of me working on the quilting.  I love the little bunny quilt and I hope my friend and her new baby love it, too.  

 

Halloween Tote Bag

 

For the past few weeks, one of our local quilt shops has been having a sale from a quilt shop buy-out.  Although a lot of the fabrics were older, I managed to find some cute fall fabrics that I thought would make a little Halloween tote for my granddaughter for a reduced price.

I chose the pumpkin scarecrow fabric for the pocket and focal point, then added some yellow pumpkins for the top of the tote and brown fall fabric for the bottom.

The striped fabric made great handles to finish it off.  I like how it turned out, not too big, not too small - just right for my four-year old girl.

There's still lots of fall fabric left over to make more or to save for next year's projects.

While I didn't get to see her on the actual Halloween night, we had our own "trick or treat" game the next day.  

Here she is at the door trick-or-treating for some candy and little toys that I bought to put in her bag.  I especially like her little hand as she was holding the bag.  No tricks here, just a little treat at my door.  

Life doesn't get much better than this.  :)

Sophisticated Sled Cards

This week I took out one of last year's stamp sets called Sophisticated Sled.  When I ordered it last year, the dies were already gone so I just got the stamp set.  The sled on this card is from Alpine Adventure from a few years back.  

I used a piece of designer paper for the background and added a cut strip along the bottom for snow and three trees from Forest Foliage dies.  After I made the card, I replaced the birds with a much darker paper so that they stand out more.  I got the idea from Tami White.

This cute card with the skates features the sled stamped and cut out.  I used papers from Country Woods to make it look like siding on a porch or a door.  I used the smallest arch die for the saying.  I got the idea from Maria Kelleher.  

For the third card, I used the wreath from Sophisticated Sled for the focal point and colored it in with Stamping blends.  The papers are from remnants from Quilted Christmas.  I love the little bird sitting on the saying.  

I had fun making these cards with the ladies who come over to stamp.  We were feeling in a very festive mood when we were done.  

 

Patchwork Christmas Trees and Birds

This week I had to make a gift for my quilt guild raffle.  Because we don't have a regular meeting in December, our theme for this month is Christmas.  (I know, already!)

I decided to make some little tree ornaments that are made using 1 3/4" strips of fabrics.  I sewed four strips together and then cut them out using a 60 degree triangle ruler.  I sewed a long strip of brown fabric for the trunk by folding it in half two times ad tucking under the raw edge.  

I have a lot of Fig Tree Christmas fabrics left from a few years back, and I like using them to make Christmas items.  They are such pretty reds and greens with a bit of a vintage look to them.  

After making the trees, I decided to make a couple of little bird ornaments to coordinate with the set.  And you know that I love making my little birds.  I added a crocheted flower and button accent to them for the "wing."  

While I have made these before, I had fun making up a new batch of them.  They're quick, easy and fun to make.  That's what I love.

What do you think of my little tree ornament assortment?  Would you put these on your Christmas tree?

I just want to make more.  :)

 

Starting Christmas Cards with Yuletide Village and Shepherd's Care

Last week I had a chance to finally take out Yuletide Village stamp set.  I had picked it up last year and thought that it would make a pretty scene.  It sure does!  I got the idea for this card and the next card from Catherine Proctor and Peggy Murwin.  I love the soft colors and the little church.  

The addition of the beige designer paper cut with the arch dies adds so much.  The paper was from Nests of Winter.  I added some snowflakes to make it look like a winter day.

Here is a tiny little town like something out of a Hallmark movie.  I used three strips of paper from various designer packs.  I like how it sets up the scene and the colors for the front of the card.  

For the tree cut outs, I used the Frosted Forest cut outs.  I thought they looked great for the winter trees.  

For our third card, I used Shepherd's Care.  I got the idea for this card from Mo Rootes.  Although it's hard to tell in the photo, I used a muted designer paper to stamp the scene onto.  The shepherd stamps so nicely - the shading is right in the stamp.  The background papers are from the Peaceful Garden paper pack.  

I added a touch of gold embellishments to make the card shine.  I stamped some dots for stars using gold ink.  This card was quick and easy to make.  I hope to make some more of them.  

Have you started on your Christmas cards yet?  I have three more Christmas card classes to go.  

 

Sweater Tree Ornaments

November and December are very busy crafting months.  I'm still working on fall/Thanksgiving projects, yet need to get started on Christmas.  This week I made up some little tree ornaments made from sweaters.  I love to recycle sweaters.  :)

They are just SO cute!  I sewed some antique buttons on them for tree ornaments and added a gold cord for hanging.  Looking through my craft supplies for something that I could use for a trunk, I had the amazing idea to use thread spools!

I found some vintage spools in various sizes and stained them darker to look more like a tree trunk.  Then I glued them onto the bottoms of my sweater trees!  I am so impressed with how cute this project turned out.  :)

I used a 60 degree triangle ruler to cut out the trees and then just sewed them leaving a small hole in the bottom for turning.  I made 2 sizes - the larger trees stand up with a bigger thread spool.  The smaller ones have a mini spool and are a little more top heavy for standing.

I finished up 11 of the little trees.  Now what?  I "need" to make more.  

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Thanksgiving Bowl Fillers

When I was at Hobby Lobby last week, I found some cute fabric with little Thanksgiving sayings on it.  So of course I bought it.  I love to make little things.

I cut out the sayings and sewed them into little bowl decor pillows.  They can also be used as pin cushions.  

When cutting, I had to give up every other row, because of adding in seam allowance, but I am happy with what I got from my piece of fabric.

I love the little sayings, the colors and especially the ones with pumpkins on them

What am I going to do with them?  I might leave them in a basket for decor, give them away to people or put them in my dining room "shop." 

I made 11 in total and there's still some panels left on the fabric to work with.  

They're so cute, right?  I love having them around for my fall decor.  I might put them on the table for my Friendsgiving parties as little favors.  So I might need to make a few more.  :)

What do you think of them?  Would you put them out as fall and Thanksgiving decor?

 

Best Part about Fall

We are having such a beautiful fall this year in upstate NY.  It seems like the leaves are staying longer on the trees so we can enjoy them more and I have been outside a lot doing just that.  

Every year I look forward to the pretty colors, apple cider donuts (Can I just say, Thank you God, for apple cider donuts?), cool crisp air, Thanksgiving and of course, pumpkin pie. 

Today I was finishing up a fall card from a class that I had a couple of weeks ago.  Instead of the apple cider theme, I decided to go with pumpkins!  I love pumpkin lattes (and I don't even drink coffee!), pumpkin donuts and pumpkin pie.  The sayings on this card are embossed with copper powders and although you can't see it on the card, it makes the card shine.

I got my apple cider donuts and some amazing apples at the Vintage Market in VT recently, so I'm all set there.  Now I just need some pumpkin coffee and desserts to get my fall fix.  I guess I'm off to the store for some delicious pumpkin ingredients!

I love all of the things about fall, but the absolute best part?

Playing with my g-girl!  

 

Fall Fabric Birds

The past couple of weeks I have been working on some fall decor items and everything fall in my sewing and stamping rooms.  

I had some cute fall fabrics out so I thought I would make some cute little fall birds with it.  

The pattern for these birds is an old Sizzix die cut.  I cut out the shape in cardboard and then trace it onto fabric to sew the birds.  I sew on the line and leave a small hole near the tail for turning and stuffing the birds.

Then I add some sort of embellishment for the wings and a gold cord hoop for hanging them.  You can put them in a bowl or hang them on a tree or cabinet knob, etc.

I love making them in different fabrics. It  allows the birds to be used for any season or to match different decor colors.  

Here they are in rust and in a pretty yellow leaf fabric.

I had in mind to make some black crows but then I found this pretty black fabric with fall flowers on it.  They're not exactly crows, but I love how they turned out.  :)

How many birds have I made in total?  I don't know, maybe hundreds.  I love these little fellas.  They're fast, fun and easy to make.

Where would you put one?

 

Changing Leaves

Changing Leaves is a stamp set, cut outs and embossing folder set from last year that I haven't had a chance to use.  I just love the embossed leaves that you can also cut out!  I used Basic Beige cardstock for this card, added a piece of designer paper from Gathering Leaves for the front.  I added some sprigs and a gold foil strip to put along the side of the card.  

What a sweet set to work with!

This next card starts with Pretty Peacock cardstock.  I added some designer papers next, one from Nature's Sweetness and another one with a soft teal look to it.  I embossed the teal paper with the leaf folder, then added a stamped image and some sprigs to finish off the card.  I love how these two cards came out.  

I will definitely make more using this set.

For my third card, I used the fun set called More Than Autumn.  It has such cute coffee, donut and pie images in it.  I chose to make my card to celebrate apple cider donuts, one of my favorite fall treats.  I embossed the words and cut them out of white paper for my card.  

I want to make another card using this set so that I can "make" a pumpkin pie - another of my favorite fall treats.  :)  So fun.

 

Fond of Autumn

 A couple of weeks ago I took out an older fall set called Fond of Autumn.  It has such a beautiful fall sprig image in it and I thought it would make some nice fall cards.  

For this first card, I used designer papers from Gathering Together papers.  I love the pretty gold streaks in the papers.  They just make the cards look so rich and warm.  

I embossed the basic beige cardstock with a leaf embossing folder and then added a strip of the pretty paper to go under the fall leaf images.  I added some gold sprigs and some twine to complete the card.

For my next card, I used the cut out from Grassy Grove set.  It's hard to see in this pic, but I then embossed it with the birch embossing folder to give it a very woodsy look  I added the focal leaf image from Fond of Autumn and a couple of brown, green and gold sprigs.  You could add a little deer or other animal to this card.  I just love how it came out!

My third card has used Basic Beige for the background, embossed with a folder for texture.  Then I cut out the image from an older large die cut.  Ha, ha - I can't remember which one.  I colored in the flower image this time instead of the leaves for a lovely fall bouquet.  

Which card do you like the best?  They each have a different vibe to them.  

Fall Tea Cup Mug Rugs

Last week I needed to make a project to be raffled off at my quilt guild.  I chose to make a couple of fall tea cup mug rugs (say that 10 times) for this month's raffle.

I used Fig Tree fabric called Cinnamon and Cream that I have had for a couple of years.  I love how the colors worked for this project.  I drew up a tea cup on graph paper and worked to make it fit with eight 2 1/2" squares.  I just love how they turned out.  

Here is what it looked like while I was working on it.  I should have made the top strip just a bit wider, so I will adjust my pattern to make the cup fit better next time.

I want to make these all day.  All of my friends said that they loved them and wanted them. :)

So I guess I will be making more.  They would make a cute wall hanging or even a quilt if I had time to work on it.  

The cup could be a (large) tea cup or a small mug.  Which do you prefer?  Tea or coffee?   And the squares to the right - they could be for a cookie, muffin or scone.  It's just the perfect little gift.  

Let's go have tea and scones - my favorites.  

 

Fall Table Runners

For the past couple of weeks I have been working on making some new fall runners to decorate my home for my favorite season.  I had a nice mix of oranges, creams and brown fabrics to choose from and I love how they came out.

The colors are soft and creamy looking - I think most of the fabrics are from the Squirrelly Girl collection from a few years back.

I made this one for the entrance to fit on this little table.  I guess I love working with 2 1/2" squares because I make so many of them.  They are fun and easy to work with.  I just want to make more things with these fabrics!

This one is for the corner spot on the counters in the kitchen.  I always like to put a little something there to dress it up.  

I love how they look.  

I had some more fall things that I took out for display.  I made these a couple of years ago.  I like the lighter fall colors rather than the darker browns that I previously had.

I put this fall pumpkin runner in the family room.  It looks great on the coffee table.

What should I make next?  I would love some fall quilts for my family room.  I need more time!