They're multiplying!

Before I tell you what's multiplying, I want to introduce you to "Lady #26.......only I can't tell you her name, or anything about her because she is a Christmas gift and the giver bets that the recipient won't recognize herself anyway.  Let's hope!  So, for now, she'll only be known as "Pretty lady #26".







If I remember, I'll post her real picture after the holidays.

Now to show you what's multiplying.  Remember the picture of the Christmas mice in my last post?  Well, I REALLY couldn't stop making them because I made some more:



I think I have enough now..........I hope!  I really loved making them though and since many of you asked about the pattern, I contacted the shop where I bought it and they gave me a direct link just for you if you want to purchase one.

http://material-matters.com/three-blind-mice-figtree.aspx

I hope you have as much fun making yours.  I think they'll be great little hostess gifts for the holidays!

Happy (late) Halloween from To"BEE"

I just couldn't help that title today after this:

Isn't he just the cutest dog ever????  OMG.....the look he gave me after I was done putting it on him was like, "Mom, you've got to be kidding?  You expect me to wear this?"  Poor little guy wouldn't move!  Once I took off the headpiece though, he was much better......

We had company on Halloween.  Toby's little 3 month old friend, Harvey, came for a play date with his mom, Wendy.  Poor Toby doesn't have many friends his size so this was quite a treat.  Except Harvey wanted to hump him all the time, which didn't sit too well!  Once I took down the baby gates, and let them run the house, things were much better!  In fact, if you want to watch a U Tube video, click on Toby in his costume and scroll down to the link.  It's only 41 seconds long.  Wendy took the video.

We're guessing that Harvey will grow up to be a bit bigger than Toby considering he's not that far away from his size now and he's got a whole lot of growing yet to do.

On the sewing front, I have been a bit lazy.  Usually during the pincushion swap, I make tons of cushions of one sort or another, but this time, I seem satisfied with only two kinds (although I did go a bit nuts on one.)  Here is the first one I made:

a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/35289170@N06/8122708413/" title="Checkered Pincushion by mamacjt, on Flickr">

Don't look at the "unmatched" piecing.  I really thought it was working and after I was done, I hated to take it all apart since it was only a pincushion and I knew that my partner would not be getting that one anyway since I bought a pattern awhile ago that I was itching to make:



Isn't she so much cuter?  I think so and besides, she is perfect for my special swap partner!  That little mousey plus some goodies, will be the perfect package.  I had a bit of a problem making just one, I must admit, so I thought making a bunch of them for early Christmas "in the mood" gifts would be fun to give my family members on Thanksgiving.



Other than that, I haven't sewn a stitch.  With my company, and a few appointments, and lunch dates this week, I have kept my house pretty thread free for a change.  Maybe today I can change that!  More ladies next time.......I hope!  Until then, have a great weekend!

Being that Halloween is tomorrow, I just couldn't resist showing you this picture.  I borrowed/stole/swipped it from the forum that I read everyday.  Can you imagine me dressing Toby up like this?  (I would love to, but I doubt if my DH would appreciate me very much.  Flowers?  Fairy wings?  Not so much!)  I did buy Toby a BEE costume last year at Target on sale after Halloween was over, but I have yet to even try it on him.  Stay tuned!?

I do have another lady to show you though.  #25 lady aka Chris, actually contacted me last February and asked that I make her, but at that time, I was involved in other things and told her that I would contact her when I was doing the "series" again.  Well, that time came, and Chris was excited, which made me excited too!  She was lots of fun!  I loved the fact that Chris liked lipstick, (seems rare lately for some reason), so that I could make beautiful red lips and she liked color!  (Right up my alley, for sure!)  So without further ado, may I present #25, Chris.  Naturally, first the drawing, then the eyes, and finally the wall hanging.







And for even more fun, Chris allowed me to show her original photo (minus her son whom I chopped out of the photo not too well.  lol)

So there you have it!  IF you are keeping track, please don't ask me what happened to #24.  Yes, she is done and she is on her way home to Australia, but is a Christmas gift from her family and I'm hoping that she doesn't peek before her time!  I maybe shoulda plastered "Do NOT Open til Chrismas" stickers all over it, huh?  Actually, #26 and #27 are Christmas gifts too, but the "giver" of #26 told me I could post a picture of the finished quilt, with no name, and no original picture because she doubts the receiver will recognize herself.  Ya think?  Would you?  Hummmm??????  So, you will see her next time.

Toby and I have a play date tomorrow morning with a 4 month old Havanese puppy named Harvey, and his mom, Wendy.  We met online and I am so anxious to meet her in person.  I hope they stay still enough to take some pictures!  

OH, to all my friends and readers from the East coast of America.......my sincere thoughts and prayers to all of you.  I can't even imagine what you have gone through with the hurricane.  Stay strong!

Lots of stuff........

E-gads, where do I begin?  I have so much to show you that I hope I don't forget something.  First off, I'm going to show you something that warmed my heart.  Remember awhile back where I showed you the project that that art teacher in LA did with his students with inspiration from a quilt I made?  Well, another art teacher used the same quilt as inspiration for an art projects with her students.  Read about Mrs. Smith here.  To say that I'm honored would be a huge understatement!!!  I am blown away!   Who knew that one little quilt would bring on such artistry?  I think it's awesome!!  Thank you both!  I couldn't be happier!

Last time too, I showed you the quilts that I submitted for the Little Quilt, sew, vote, swap group.  Well, this week, I received both my first and second choices in return and they are darling!  For the flowered one that I submitted I got this from Karen (sewgentle).  (I had to take a picture of the wrapping because it was as cute as could be!)

And inside was this cute little quilt which was my first pick.  I love whimsy!

Then for the wonky squared quilt that I submitted, this choice arrived on my doorstep from Cindy Sharp.

Both ladies are such talented quilters and I love their creations!  (Looks like I'm covered for the holidays too, huh?  lol)

Then I need to show you #23 in my "ladies series" - Susan (who lives in Australia).  It took awhile, but she finally got her quilt.  Naturally, I will first show the drawing, her eyes and then the quilt........and graciously, Susan has allowed me to post the picture she sent to me for inspiration.

And the real, Susan:

So there you have it!  There are a few other ladies to show you (another one which will remain secret because of being a Christmas gift), so once I know they've all arrived, I will reveal what I can.  In the meantime, I am finally working on my pincushion for the pincushion swap.  You KNOW I can't make just one, right???  I love making pincushions!!!  So......have a great weekend, and I'll be back next week!

How come?

How come the days seem so long when I'm not sewing?  Yesterday I was getting company and today I had errands, (and besides, it's been raining both days), so I haven't been sewing.  Don't ask me what rain has to do with sewing, 'cause I don't know, but I do know that rain during the day without sewing equals some mighty nice afternoon naps.  lol  Now I'm hoping that it rains tomorrow too.  Either that, or I should motivate myself to get going on my pincushion swap project.  I have an idea though, so there's no real rush.  Besides, for once in a long time, my kitchen looks tidy.  No sewing machine, no iron, or ironing board, no fabric piles and pincushions sitting around and a perfectly clean floor.  I could maybe get used to this!  'Course, then I'd have nothing to show you and that would be bad, I guess!  I had to clean up for this company:



Yes, two cutie pie 7 week old Havanese puppies.  Aren't they adorable?  My new breeder friend, Patty, came to visit with them and Toby was in heaven.  He really didn't know what to make of them in the beginning, but it didn't take long to decide which one he liked best.  Hubs was looking at me with puppy eyes himself, silently begging me to agree to add to our family, but I'm not ready yet.  Besides, winter is coming and we're old.  Who wants to take a puppy outside every hour for training now, in this weather?  Eikes!  Not me!  I'm waiting until spring!  Or summer......or never, who knows?  And now with her as a friend, I figure I can get my puppy fix anytime without spending a penny.......how cool is that?  (I sure hope she's not reading this...........she might get mad at me!......Don't read this, Patty!)  So, that's why I have a clean kitchen.  Can't have babies getting tangled in errant threads on the floor like usual, you know!!!

I can show you two recent projects from the "little quilt, sew, vote, swap" group.  The voting is done and my projects are already on their way to their new owners.  One of the fun aspects of the group is that after the voting is done, the administrator posts the top ten in voting order and I am happy to tell you that this quilt was voted number 1 for this round:



I named it, "Folk Art Flowers".  It ended up at 12 x 17 inches of fun applique.  It was a hard one to let go, but my third attempt 'cause I like the first two I made better than that one and I have yet to show those to anyone.  lol  Call me crazy!  I did make two for that round of the swap though and this one also made the top ten, but lower down the totem pole.  I called this one "Wonky Squares" and it was 12 1/2 inches square:



I have more "ladies" flying their way to their owners, so hopefully next time I can show you those.  (And maybe a few pincushions too??????)  We can hope!  Rain, rain go away........!!  I think I'll go read a book now.  Later..............