Happy new year

What a year it was....
I did so many things, including starting writing in this blog.
I bought a new sewing machine en needle felting machine. I have learned myself some new techniques like free motion quilting, crazy quilt, rust dyeing. and I have opened a shop in Etsy and yesterday for the first time appeared in the front page!

This is a short wishlist for 2009 of the things I want to learn and explore further:

• silk ribbon embroidery
• screen printing
• caligraphy
• art dolls
• art quilts and beaded quilts
• felting

Wish you all happy, healthy and creative new year!

So.....

yay... FRoNt pAge !!!

my wild retro floral handbag stands there and it was a front page today! my first time!
AND I missed it I found the photo in the Etsy Front page flickr

made by Rafya. Thank you!

Strange things

I have noticed that strange things happen when it's cold.... and this is my story:
Yesterday I went with my son to the supermarket. It was very cold but dry so I thought it was a good idea to walk and let him free some energy. he ran the whole way!
On the way back just before the bridge where we gave the ducks all the old bread ( I cleaned our freezer early that morning...) a woman stopped us to ask something.

She asked how do I say angel in my language.
First I didn't understand what she meant by "my language". why does she think I speak other language than she? how does she know? (I hate prejudice)
So I asked her : what is an angel?
I become stupid when I'm surprised
She took out her bag a doll with long dress and long hair and wings.
oh, angel. "Malach" in my language I said.
She started mumbling what sounded like a poem about angels or blessing or something but my 3 years old angel in disguise was already 10 meters ahead on the bridge so I had to run...


yes, strange things happen when the temperature goes round zero or maybe it was the Christmas spirit in the air. and by in the air I meant (spending too much time)in Etsy. In my house was it only the smoke of my mother-in-law cigarettes in the air...


finally the holidays are over
In the photo's is one side of the wings I am makeing for my little beaded shopping fairy.
In the holidays I was busy with something else though. I knitted a bag but it is a present and I don't show presents till I give them away.

The finishing touch

Finally finished the sheep clutch. It took me so long because of this one last touch that was missing...
I didn't know what it was and didn't push it. last touches come when the time is ripe.
Last week when I went in the rain and against the wind to buy pearl-needles I found IT - The beautiful glass looking button - the finishing touch of the sheep clutch!



The same evening I finished the clutch and here it is:


And I already told how much I like sheep. I had to put sheep also in my last project:



I still can't show pictures of the whole piece although I finally after long weeks finished it today but it is packed and ready to be shipped tomorrow. just a little bit more patience. I think it worth it. It is one of my best pieces ever.‬

100 things

I have found this in the blog of Lisa Call and thought it can be fun too...
And I thought it would also be nice to mark those thing which I would really like to do!

1. Started your own blog - 3 of them!
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted - By me!!
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling - snorkeling in the red sea..
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favourite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem - dahhhh... I lived in Israel only 26 years..
84. Had your picture in the newspaper - in an art magazine. when I was 12 years old
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury!
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Winter

It is almost winter and oh so cold already...
I went into the garden today. only black wet leaves everywhere and one plant that think it's still autumn


Winter means less inspiring flowers.
Winter means I have to wait sometimes days before I get enough light to make nice photo's of my product.
Winter means more time spending with the boy who gets bored when he can't run outside and every project takes 2-3 times longer than I plan.
Winter means after putting him to bed and reading him 3 times the same book I don't feel like going out of the warm bed and cuddle beside him instead of sitting before a cold sewing machine..



And today I broke the last beading needle I had left....



And that means I have to go tomorrow in the rain and probably against the wind to the shop to buy a new set. Of course while I'm at it I made a list of other things I "need"
Wish me luck!

Yellow roses garden

The "Yellow roses garden" lunch case is finished!
And I already began a new crazy quilt embellishment with the combination purple-poison green! I like strange combinations



But first I have to finish a big project that is already over-due...
At the moment it isn't possible to show all of it (because I don't know who reads blog)
but only a sneak peek is ok I guess ( can't help myself )
The theme here is also a garden. another garden - can you guess which one?


I have learned from this project how different quilting with cotton bathing feels than with polyester_batting underneath. much harder and gloves are a must!

Long time no crazy quilt

It has been a while since the last crazy quilt. The theme this time was yellow garden and for the first time I tried ribbon embroidery. Not yet roses, they are already made but the leaves are a vintage ribbon I bought in Etsy. It is sometimes difficult to pull the needle out. what do ribbon embroiderers use?
If anyone knows a good Internet library for satin ribbon stitches or would like to recommend a book in the subject - please do!

3 years ago...

on Wednesday 7 December 2005 I was busy 2 hours giving birth to my beautiful, smart, curious and amazing son, Denzel.


Yesterday I made him a crown of felt using the idea felt birthday crown tutorial of Juicy Bits
and we celebrated his birthday today with his tiny family: mama, papa and grandma. The rest of the family were with us in our hearts (and some of them called too) from far away.
I also backed a cake but forgot to take a picture before we sliced it... Now I don't have any evidence I ever backed a cake..

3 years ago and I can't imagine anymore my life before he arrived! I love him so much.
Happy birthday my sweet boy.

Swap five materials - the end

My swap item is finally arrived and I can tell and show what I did.
I have received 5 materials from my swap partner and I had to make something out of them.
The materials I had to work with were:
lots of fleece bits in red, green and white, one beautiful red-green-black overlaying circles and some white, military-green and brown big scraps. an old short zipper, 2 short cords and 2 long ones.


I have never worked with fleece before. first thing I made some strawberries


And then some applique on a pocket


I used also the zipper and one of the cords


And this is what came out:

A big handbag. I drew the pattern myself to make it specially big. just the way I like it and heard already that the receiver liked it too...
But then I still time till dead-line and lots of fleece bits, one long cord and some leftovers fabric so I made a little bag to put in the big bag. you know, for the things always get lost inside the bag and when you need them you have to dig your whole bag up...
I had to add a yellow button thought, but it is allowed in the rules so long that 80% of materials are of the receiver. what is one button...


Now I still wait to my materials to come back as something...