V is Vintage Valentine

I am way behind on my 4X4 Alphabet swap for my Yahoo Group.

No excuse, I just kept putting it off.

So today I started the last five cards- v, w, x,y,  and z.

I finished the V so I am going to mail it off to my swap

partner today.  Hooray, one down and four to go.

Mug Mat Swap

I participated in the mug mat swap that Donna hosted this month.

My partner was Debbie from Mosaic Magpie who is a very good crazy quilter.  Not that

she is crazy, but that is a type of quilting for those of you who don't quilt.

The above is the mug mat that I made for her.   She had said that

she liked robin's egg blue, but that the room she would use it

in, is red, green, and beige.   So that's why I used the

colors I did.  I also used a print with a bird on it

because she likes birds.   Since she is a crazy quilter I did

some fancy stitches with my machine.  She also likes vintage

so I added a round vintage crocheted circle, and added

some buttons.

The mug mats are very easy and satisfying to make, and thanks to Donna you can find a

tutorial on her blog Brynwood Needleworks .  You won't be able to make

just one.

More Ditty bags

I had so much fun making the "ditty bag" from Beth Leintz's  Gathering Dust (Check the right side of her blog under recent posts-Feb. 2011.) that I decided to make a few more.  Here are two that I made for two blog friends.  I hope that each will be surprised when they receive their gift.

                                 I made another turquoise one like I made for my daughter.
  I made the bag out of muslin and used vintage trim, except for the button.  Unlike most crafters I
     don't have many vintage buttons that are attractive, so I chose this one from Jenny Bowlin.

I also gave this a short tea bath.

In honor of Valentine's Day

I made the next one red.

I also used some vintage trim on this one.

I also gave it a very short tea bath, beacause I didn't want

the reds to run.

Denim Jumper

I love to go to the Salvation Army Thrift Store looking for things.

What things? you may ask.

Nothing in particular, just anything that strikes my fancy.

A few weeks ago I purchased this child's denim jumper for my granddaughter

Sarah.

I decided that I would fancy it up a bit.

To be truthful, I went to a craft fair at Christmas and someone

was selling children's denim clothes that had been

decorated.  She was sure selling a lot of them, and of course

I thought, as I usually do, I can do that.

This is what I did.

I bought the applique at either Michael's or Joann's.  I just can't remember where, but both

stores sell them.  I thought the owl was cute, and MI daughter just

decorated Sarah's bedroom wall with a vinyl tree

with owls on it.  It is so cute.

So I thought Sarah would like the owl also.

I made a friend through a swap, who has an etsy shop called Bird nests and Paper.

I like to visit the shop because she has vintage and "garage sale" type goods

that are reasonably priced. 

I bought the red eyelet trim for her and I knew that I wanted to put

it on the bottom of the jumper.

I love the way it turned out and I think Sarah will too.

Winter's Mushroom

Winter's Mushroom

In the summer this birdbath is a dish garden with hen and chicks plus a

collection of stones.

How different it looks in the winter after a few snowfalls.

It makes a very nice decoration for our deck, and gives

us something to look at.

Ditty Bag from Gathering Dust

This is a Ditty Bag that I made from a tutorial by  Beth  of Gathering Dust.  She does these wonderful bags using a lot of vintage lace and fabric.  She was kind enough to show all her blog readers

how to make them.  When you go to her blog,  go the right side bar and  look under

recent posts for the how to instructions.

This is the first one that I made and it is for my MI daughter who likes

shabby chic decor.  ( A note to OR daughter who is more interested in modern decor.  I will make you one if you are interested.)

I am not happy with the drawstring, because it

is so short, but that is all I had.  However, I will keep

my eye out for something else to replace it with.

The crocheted lace is from an old doily that I cut up and the lovely

aquamarine velvet ribbon, under the fine lace is from an

Etsy purchase, as is the lace.

I sewed buttons from Jenni Bowlin that I bought online on the bottom

lace.  Beth used some bags that she bought at Michaels, but I

couldn't find any, so I made by own bag out of some muslin

that I had.  I sewed the lace from the bottom up before the

sides were sewn together.

I did not include the bottom layers of lace in the side seams

as I wanted them to be loose for some movement.

When I was finished, I soaked the bag in a hot tea bath. 

I used three bags of tea, to a large bowl of hot water,

and soaked  it for a minute or so.

I am very pleased the way it turned out, except for the drawstring, and

plan on making more, a lot more.

  Thank you Beth for you wonderful idea and instructions

Mug Mat Swap at Brynwood Needleworks

Donna is having a mug mat swap and will have a tutorial on her blog

Brynwood Needleworks

Donna is very creative and has designed this cute mug mat.  If you can

sew, I am sure that you would like to join.  Please check it out.