Cabin Fever/Spring Fling

When the weather is cold, I tend to stay inside more, but happily work on projects that I love to do.  Remember that suitcase I was working on last year?  I had taken it apart and there it sat leaving everyone in suspense of what I was doing with it.  Well finally, just finally, it got it finished and made it into a pet bed!  The legs I had purchased at a yard sale one time and my sister gave me the old suitcase.  I had seen other pet beds on line made with suitcases and simply had to make one!  I purchased a cookie sheet to put in the bottom of the suitcase to make it more stable for when the legs were screwed on and nut and washers fastened to it.  Without it, the legs would simply straddle which I wasn't expecting since it seemed firm enough!  Then I added a 2" piece of foam in the bottom and topped off with a pillow made of a soft minkee print. 

I just loved that the legs had some nice curves to it,  that it would mimic the print in the pillow top.

As to whom the pet bed is for...... is yet to be determined by the winner!   This one I am donating to the auction for The Pet Orphanage "Spring Fling" that we are having in March.  People are encouraged to make a pet bed for a contest in which they will have a chance to win a basket full of pampered people and pet gift prizes.   I will have my step son engrave a name plate for  the winner of this bed's pet name in the area between the handle.  Here's a temporary one!

I did an internet search and found lots of awesome bed ideas made from up cycled end tables, suitcases and such.

 

And then I suppose since it really doesn't have to be for a cat or a dog.  The wording really was "pet bed". LOL  Hard to say what will come in!

 I also had made a quilt for a raffle which will also be drawn on the 24th. (Palm Sunday)  Tickets are $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00 and are sold at Savings Hardware, Honey Fork Fabrics and Grandma Faye's in Logan, Ohio. Or they can be purchased online at The Pet Orphanage.  Winner need not be present to win.  The wall piece measure 46 X 43 and will be just in time for Easter! 

Other events that will be going on at the "Spring Fling" is a craft/ sew in.  On the 22 and the 23. Where people can come and rent a spot for $10.00 to sew, do scrap booking or any other art or craft.  They can also donate a craft or a baked good to be sold on the 24th. People who sew are encouraged to enter in a sewing "jellyroll" races contest.  All of the events will be at the Logan fairgrounds Youth Bldg.  There will be lots of fun, food and prizes!  Monies raised will benefit The Pet Orphanage to help maintain their low cost spay/neuter clinic, medical outreach and other programs.  The organization is run by all volunteers and is a 501(c) 3.  If anyone would like to help, participate or would like more info, they may call 740-385-3251.

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's happy hearts day for the young, the old and anywhere in between!  We buy cards, candy and flowers for our loved ones and celebrate our love.
I pondered on what to get my hubby this year.  It always seems that we go out to eat to celebrate and I get him his favorite chocolate.  It's just so predictable!  So this year was a bit different. Now you know you are getting old when you change the way you buy gifts, as I had purchased some Ecotrin for his heart!  It's been nearly 20 years since he had his heart attack when he was 43,  and I feel so blessed every year that I have him.  Of course I got him his chocolate too and some Barista Italian flavored coffee and a heart paperweight for his desk at work to remind him that I am there for him as he has been for me.  What I really miss is flowers.  He hasn't bought me any in over 20 years.  At the time I worked at a flower shop so he didn't see that I really needed any then.  I haven't worked in the shop in 13 years as I developed allergies to lilies and then there was the fact that I developed these tiny blisters from perhaps some pesticides or herbicides...or perhaps it was a fungus of some sort.  I finally just had to quit working there to get rid of it.  Later I would tell him that I would love it if he gave me flowers.  He simply said he couldn't remember which ones that I couldn't stand to be around.  It's lilies!!!  Lilies!!! Lilies!!! You know, the one's that are so overwhelmingly fragrant!  Lilies!!!    If he could only remember that one word! Well, it never did stick, but I did get a balloon and since I made him Valentine's dinner this year, he gave me $60.00.  I may just go out and get some flowers.......  Roses.  Some very lovely roses.  Happy Valentines Day!

Tumblers

This week, not only have I been playing in the fabrics, but I seem to be having a bit of help especially matching stripes!

Just before Christmas, I broke down and bought an Accuquilt Go cutter and the first quilt that I wanted to make was from the tumbler blocks.  The smaller tumbler comes with 3 cuts on the die.

It's 3 1/2" and a nice size for a baby quilt, making purses and I actually wouldn't have minded even making a larger quilt from it.  At the moment, I have been cutting fabrics in groups of 10 per color to get ready for an exchange from the Accuquilt yahoo group.  Feb. we will be exchanging brights and there will be a black and white exchange that I am looking forward to too!

I have also already made a couple of baby quilts with this die and they were way too much fun!

I love these cool colors together.

These retro style fabrics in a mint and green make for a new color combo too.  

The new die has been chosen for my next cuts, so I am off to choosing fabric colors.  Sew until next time!

Artful Gatherings

I know it has been a long long while since I have last posted.  Too many things in my life had run together with quilting for others and having had cat and dog adoptions and doing dog transport that my blog life was left behind in the dust.  Then came facebook which was easier to post something quick. When I did go back to blogging, it was trying to time out and I was frustrated and decided it was one more thing that was taking so much of my time that I didn't have time for.  Well, I have missed blogging terribly and decided that it was something that I had to get back to doing in the new year.  I am hoping that my blogging friends haven't forgotten me as I feel that I have to start a new!

I decided to pick up after last year with some unfinished business.  If any of you recall, I had worked on a piece that wasn't completed and simply fell into place.  So I have included my first piece of art work into the new year.

Rather than hunt down the post, I will start by showing you how it all began.  I had bits and pieces of junk that accumulates on my desk.  I used an old greeting card box that I had saved (I mean I never seem to throw anything away!) and began to add all sorts of pieces for texture. 

I covered it all with foil tape that you can get from the hardware store.  I then burnished it as I worked on it.  You can use a Q-tip or the end of a pen or anything rounded to get into the crevices.  It now sort of reminds me of texture on the moon.



Then I took metallic acrylic paints and started playing with the surface for some rusted like metallic properties.  I didn't have a photo of the last step, but I applied a wash of some black paint after this was all dry and treated it like a stain and wiped it off before it dried.  You can see some black on the finished piece.
As for the figure, I spray painted a domino and adhered it to the center with E6000 adhesive.  The face and outer wings are from paper stock that I had stuck onto craft foam.  I made spacers underneath to have it stand out more.  The edges of the face and the wings were done with chalk ink.  Then I brushed on a layer of diamond glaze for a little sheen.  The neck is a metallic bead and the wire I wrapped around a crochet hook for the arms and a bead for the hands.  Embroidery floss was used for the waistline.  The inner wings were from some silk flowers and I added some copper eyelets.  The only other found object I used was an old watch face that I wanted to leave exposed.  I may later add a crown to the head, but for now I am lovin' this piece!  Hope you do too!