Spring Projects

Well, I have loads to share here today!  I haven't felt well the past few days.  I'm suddenly starting to think that my medication dosage might be too high now.  It's just this underlying feeling that things are better but perhaps the Zoloft, being at 100 mg is too much and perpetuating the screwy way I feel.  I called my Dr. and am waiting for him to call me back.  I'm going to ask if we can drop it to 75 mg now.  I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, I started stitching on the 9th and final block of my Crazy Garden Quilt:

The vine is supposed to look like Morning Glories but they didn't quite work.  We'll see what I can do with them when I add a few beads.

I also started another project.  I mentioned the other day that I was wanting to make a Marie Antoinette Art Quilt for a friend of mine.  This is what I have so far:

I'm really struggling with my perfectionism on this.  I have to keep telling myself that mixed media art quilts are not about skill or perfection.  They are purely for visual beauty, trying new techniques and new combinations  and creating something for the sake of creating.  Would have at least been nice had I gotten the foreground items on straight!  Oh well, we'll see where this goes.  BTW - it will have glitter on it!

In the last week, mom and I have finished up a bunch of Spring projects so I thought I'd share those photos with you next.  First are a couple of new Blanket Baby Bunny Ornaments by mom:

And I did some new WISH tags with Pansies:

And now for my trees.  As ya'll know, I love pink!  I had this idea for pink Easter Egg Trees made with pink pom pom's and tiny little Easter Eggs:

Each tree has 100 pom pom's on it!  They're dusted with super fine glitter.  So soft and petty!

Last but not least, is my Easter Egg Bottle Brush Tree:

I only made one of these.  I'm so pleased with how it came out!  Doesn't it just scream Spring?

And here are mom's newest Easter Tussy Mussy's:

Well, those are our newest projects.  All are available here .

I was going to go put my CQ Cherub box together but I'm kind of tired now.  I'll just bet the Zoloft is causing that.  I have a loaf of Cheese Bread on it's first rise in the Kitchenaid.  We'll be having that with Homemade Beef soup tonight.  I think I'll take it easy the rest of the day now and just stitch.

I'm still waiting to see a Robin here in McHenry, Illinois.  I know they're here because I can hear them singing outside.  I just haven't seen one yet.  I saw Red Wing Blackbirds this morning on my way back from WalMart.  That was a nice site but there's something about seeing the first Robin of Spring!

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Crazy Garden Quilt Block #9

Tomorrow is my mom's birthday!  Well, actually, it's Monday but we're having our get-together tomorrow.  I just finished making some Sugar Cookies and some little Haystacks:

 

If you'd like my recipe for Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies, you can find it here.  The Haystacks are really easy.  Actually, these are supposed to look like little bird's nests.  Anyway, you take a bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and melt it in a double boiler.  Once melted, you add a bag of Chow Mein Noodles.  Mix well.  Break up the noodles a little bit and spoon into mini cupcake papers.  I added a Cadbury Mini Egg to the center of each one.  I pop them in the freezer so they get solid quickly. Very Springy!

Been busy today putting orders together.  I've been wanted to do some Mixed Media Art Quilts.  I may play around with my things a little bit after my bath.  I really love the idea of mixing fabric and paper and glitter and anything else I can up with to make a one of a kind art quilt.  It should be fun!

In the meantime, I thought you'd like to see the final block of my Crazy Garden Quilt before 

I start stitching on it:

 

I plan to start on this sometime this week.  My timing couldn't have been more perfect!  It's just about Spring.  Will have to ask Scott to take me back to JoAnn Fabrics soon so I can find some pink fabric for the border.  I don't think I'm going to shash between the blocks.  I'm thinking of using some white or light pink lace.  Will see when I get that far.

Finally, I'm just about done with my altered purse that I mentioned last week.  I need to do something with the handle.  I don't want to take it off because it's in great shape but quite dingy so I need to figure out what to cover it with.  As soon as I do, I'll share photos.  It's so pretty and shabby and girly!  Very glittery too but it was a challenge as I will explain when I post photos.  I plan to use it as my Flea Market bag.

Well, I'm off to wrap my mom's birthday gift.  Have a great evening everyone!

Angel Brooches

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels, unawares."  Anonymous

I've always loved that quote!  It reminds me that there are angels everywhere!

I finished up on my little angel brooches:

 

The background is velveteen & antique lace.  I did SRE around the angels (which I hand-painted and glittered) and the tatting around the edges is vintage tatting.  I can do tatting, but I really prefer to use vintage whenever I can.  I just love these!

I also finished up the stitching my Cherub CQ Trinket Box:

I hope to have the time tomorrow to put it together.  I've already painted the box and I think this will be so pretty when I get it all put together.

Before I head out for today, I received another package in the mail from Gina in Australia:

 

I have the sweetest blog friends!  Thank you so much Gina!

Well, I'm off to put an order together and then I'm done for the day.

Fuzzy Chicks

Can you tell that mom and I just love these sweet little peeps? 

 

Oh, I just love anything Spring!  These little chicky's were made by mom.  They're available here.

Suddenly, projects that we've been working on for awhile are getting wrapped up.  I'm almost done with an altered purse that I've been playing with for a few weeks.  Wait until you see that.  It'll be my flea market bag.  I just finished up my little angel brooches.  I only have to glue the pinbacks onto them.  I'm about 1/2 way done with the tax crap stuff.  I want to get my little St. Patrick's Day things and put them out but I need to sit and relax for awhile.  I guess I'm finally learning when to stop pushing myself and when to take a break.

Before I start on my final block for my Crazy Garden Quilt, I'm going to stitch up another CQ Trinket Box top.  I sewed this piece up this morning:

That sweet little cherub will be the focal point for this piece.  I'll be starting on this shortly.  First I have to make a cup of tea.

Happy March 1st!

According to my calender, Spring starts on March 1st!  And apparently, I'm on the money.  My neighbor just called me to say that she saw 2 robins this morning on her way to work.  A light at the end of Winter's tunnel!  Now for me to see some robins!  I'm sure I'll see some soon.

For now, here is another finish of mine:

 

These were inspired by those old-fashioned Sugar Eggs.  The ones with the little bunnies and chicks in them and decorated with heavy, hard icing.  I've been playing with these for a few weeks and just finished them up over the weekend.  They're very glittery and so Springy!  All are available here.

For other Etsy sellers, I thought I'd share with you a photo of how I package my items:

 

I feel that presentation is very important.  I like my customers to feel like they're receiving a lovely handmade gift so I package my items in a cellophane bag with sparkly foo-foo stuff.  I tie a pretty ribbon at the top and add a hangtag.  I also like to include a handwritten "thank you" along with a little "extra"  something to show my appreciation to my customer.

So many times, I've purchased things from Etsy sellers or Ebay sellers and my items are just kind thrown in the box.  Sometimes with a receipt and sometimes not.  I think this is a nice way to present items.  It just makes the customer feel good to open a box and see their items packaged this way.

In case anyone is looking for my Sweet Treat recipes, I added them back to my sidebar this afternoon.  I'll be adding to that list again as well when I have time.  I have loads of great baking recipes to share.

Well, Happy March everyone!  Let me know if you see any Robin's!