My "Copic" Markers

These past few weeks, I have gone a different direction.  While I do love to sew, especially my "ladies", I really love to draw.  Perhaps that is what makes the ladies so enduring.  I have to draw them first and then try to get them to look like themselves.  Lately, I have been hearing more and more about Copic markers.  I remembered that I did use them a few years back when I made and designed our Christmas cards for that year, but what I remembered was that they were really expensive.  Since I had a lull in my normal sewing activities, I decided to investigate.  (After all, I'm not getting any younger and I DO like to play!!!)  

I took a trip to Michaels, picked up a few Copics, along with some Bristol heavy art paper and went to town.  I thought cards might be nice.  What I didn't realize is that since the Copic markers are alcohol based, they bleed through the back of the card stock.  Change of plans.......mount the finished drawings on colored card stock or frame them!  AND........get bigger envelopes!  lol

I thought you might like to see some early endeavors.  Remember that you can click on any of them to see it bigger:

BUT.......the best one was this last one!  I made and sent this to my dear friend, Annie in California, who has several issues to deal with at the moment.  I thought that since she is such a "lady" that she might need a small card of some type to whip out of her pocket and flash at specific moments as needed.  If you remember, she was the one who sent me that awesome envelope from my last post.  Besides, I knew she would laugh every time she looked at it:

I had no idea it would become such a hit!  Since sending this to Annie, I have duplicated this little "Beep Girl" twice already in a 5x7" size for frames and have given them as gifts.  Now, I'm thinking she might be a little business in herself!  The recipients couldn't stop laughing!  Stay tuned.......you might see her lots!  In fact, if you are interested in obtaining your own little "Beep Girl", let me know.  I've already started drawing and coloring with my Copics like a mad woman!!  Soooo fun!  Are you laughing too?  I bet, huh?

I must have been sleeping.....

Holy cow!  Get yourself into something new and where does the time go?  It seems as through the days have just flown by lately and here it is, a whole week since I've posted.  More on that in a bit....

I'm sad to say that none of my kid's dresses were gobbled up and sold.  Who knows what I'm going to do with them now?  I should take a picture of the whole closet and show you how many are in there.  Perhaps next time!

Today, we're going in several directions (due to my lack in sewing much at all these past two weeks).  Truthfully, I found a pin in Toby's beard one day and it has scared me to death ever since.  I love that little dog to death and if I were responsible for something happening to him, I don't know if I could forgive myself!  The funny thing is that I don't use pins much so I have no idea how one got on the floor to start with.  Thankfully, he didn't eat it.........but I'm so afraid that it might happen again.  You must see him.  Hubby and I groomed him this past weekend.........he was overdue by a week.  Check out how hairy he was:

Kinda reminds you of cousin "IT", huh?  Well, he looked much cuter when he was all done and back upstairs.  I'm so glad that I'm still able to groom my own dogs.  It sure has saved a ton of $$ all these years.

I am in a swap again....(big surprise)......so made a little off beat quilt to confuse my partner.  This isn't what I am going to send her, since I don't think it's her style at all, but I threw it out there to see what everyone would think.  I named it, "Secrets at Midnight".  It's 12 x 17".  Personally, I love it!

And a little closeup:

Nothing like a bit of color, huh?  Too fun!

Yesterday, I received a marvelous envelope from my super talented friend who moved to California before her time!  We had just met (here in Wisconsin) where she lived for years....until she moved to care for her aging parents a little over two years ago.  It seems impossible it's been that long already!  (Lucky girl does avoid our crummy winters now though...!!!)  I'm going to try to steal her photo from her Flickrstream........aaahhhh.....poop!  I just discovered that she has not allowed sharing.  Phooey!  Let me link you to her Flickr.  Look for the envelope with my name....Carol!  It's so amazing!  

I sent her something too, but I will show you next time.  For now, suffice to say that I have been busy in a different vein other than sewing.  Somehow or another, I got "roped" into buying Copic markers lately.  Too much surfing the net, I think.  Anyway, I used these markers years ago when I was making Christmas cards to send every year and thought that buying a few more might be fun again.  Well, one thing led to another and look what happened:

Yes, I am running out of room!  I must find a different system of storage......but at least right now, I have no more room for more and perhaps that is a good thing!  I LOVE these markers and I have been having such fun drawing and coloring my own designs.  I started with a Zentangle that I had made a few years ago as you will see below, but I have since branched out and I will show you those next time.  I have so many done, I must organize them first.  Stay tuned.......



So....until next time........happy sewing, drawing, baking, cooking....or whatever your pleasure!

It's time.........

In my former sewing life (before quilting), my passion was making English Smocked little girl's dresses.  I figured I could fill up a closet in anticipation of eventually being a grandmother.  I did this for years.  After all, I have a married son and daughter and one of them would certainly have a girl, right?  Well, not so much!  I must admit that I do have one 4 year old granddaughter, who doesn't like frilly type clothes, and I'm thinking "she" might be "IT" for that family.  My daughter and son-in-law have decided to remain childless.  So now what?  What do I do with a closet full of clothes that took me hours to create?  I just can't bring myself to donate them to Goodwill!!!  As nice as that might be.  So, I've decided to have a sale.  I do know some local gals who might be interested too, so first come, first served with my sale, I say!!

Let me tell you that all dresses were made with heirloom type fabrics from the very softest corduroy, to the absolute best available poly-cotton and pique, mostly purchased from Farmhouse Fabrics.  The back closures are buttons as heirloom clothes sort of forbid zippers (in case you didn't know that.)

First off is this darling red corduroy Christmas dress, Size 3.  Note the cute collar smocked with cute mice.  I really can't remember the name of the smocking plate after all this time, sorry.  This dress is for sale for $50 USD plus shipping of $15 to my US friends.  If any of you international ladies are interested, I expect the shipping would be an additional $10 on top of that amount.  It will be packed in a large box to avoid wrinkles.

Next, we have a baby blue poly-cotton dress smocked with balloons.  It also closes in the back with buttons and also has a sash.  Note that it is piped with white tiny piping on the collar, bodice and sleeves.  This dress would be perfect for Easter.  It also is a Size 3 and sells for $50 USD with $15 for shipping as above to my US friends plus $10 extra for international.

Lastly, for today, is another blue dress in a print on pique fabric.  This dress is smocked front and back as seen on the next pictures and is trimmed with a fancy tiny pale yellow piping.  This one is a Size 4 and is $55 USD plus $15 shipping to US residents and an additional $10 for international shipping.

A close-up of the front smocking:

And a close-up of the back of the dress:

So there you have it.  There will be more.....and some aren't smocked.  If you are interested in any of these dresses, please e-mail me at the address on my sidebar.  I accept payment through Paypal and/or checks from my US followers.  Thanks......

Another day, another lady!

I haven't been doing much sewing lately.  Seems I need a break, or diversion, or something.  It just could be that I am sick and tired of winter.  All it does here is snow, snow, snow and I am ready to see green grass instead of crummy white stuff on the ground all the time!!  Ugh!  I'm sick of socks, long sleeved shirts, tons of layers, and warm jackets with my car's seat heaters pushed to the max just to stay warm!  Last year we had 60's in March..........(very unusual, but sooooo wonderful)! Everyone you saw was smiling!  Not so much this year!!!  Ah........NO!

I do have another lovely lady to show you though.  Please meet Tammy!  Lady #38:

Here is the photo she sent me to work from:

And here is a picture of Tammy with herself:

I just LOVE it when my ladies send me a picture with their quilts.  It's so fun to see how much they actually look like themselves.  (At least I think so....)

My kids came over to make pizzas for my birthday.  I never want a cake...I'm not much of a cake lover.....but I do LOVE homemade pizza and never make it for myself and hubby.  My daughter makes her own crust from scratch and it's amazing!

Then, I finished up a few swaps with some fantastic mail.  From Kimmie, I got lots of loot, but mainly this gorgeous sewing machine cover:

She really nailed my colors, huh?  I could have made it myself, it looks so much like me!

Then, from Lisa, I got this cute pouch plus scraps:

 

That's about it!  Today I might meet a friend for lunch.....baring any more snow!  I really believe in stretching out a birthday for a whole week, don't you?  Please celebrate with me and have a fun week yourself!  Until next time...............

Where do I start?

So much to share, I don't know where to start.  Perhaps I should show you what I did today.  Over at the Bitty Block Committee we are having a side swap of "Bitter Bitties".  My theme was, "you are the needle in my foot":



And naturally I made 12 of them:



Then, I made a few pouches using 2 1/2 inch Kaffe squares:



That one was basically the same on both sides, but the next one has two different sides....again, using the Kaffe squares:





Aren't those zipper pulls just the BEST?  I got those from the "Zipit" lady on Etsy!  She has fantastic prices on zippers too.......(I wish I had known about her before I invested probably $30 at Joanns on zippers.)  I did buy some from her though....couldn't pass up the price!!  And not only that, she only lives probably an hour from me.  (Gotta support your neighborhood people, you know!!!)

Then, round 9 is done for the Little Quilt, sew, vote swap group.  This is the one I made:



(Did you put your sunglasses on?)  lol  It is a bit bright!  And this is the one that was my #1 pick that I got from Charlene - "waggonwest".



You wouldn't think that was my style, would you?  I love it though!  It looks very antique-like......not that I'm into antiques.....oh who knows why it appealed to me?  Maybe the heart with the buttons?  Probably!  Whatever!!!

Then, besides making Lady #38 and having her receive it.........(and you'll see her next time), I did a side swap with Synnove from Norway.  I noticed on some swap that she added beads to her pouch zippers for a bit of whimsy.  I looked all over for appropriate lightweight beads, but found nothing so asked her if she'd like to do a swap so she could get some for me.  Lookie what came:



Holey moley, huh?  I'm thinking I'm really going to have to make a few pouches to use all of those beads!  E-gads!  She went a bit NUTS!!

So, that's it for today.  More soon!  I have more to show...............until next time..........