Luggage Tags & other Swaps

Once again, I've signed up for another swap ~ don't you just love SWAPS? I cannot resist them. I love to see all the creative ideas others have and share mine with them. So, here are the newest swaps.
Postcards
This is my exchange card for May. All the rain we've had has also brought some of the most gorgeous flowers. If you've never made any of these little gems, you should really try it. You can mail them, hand stamped from the Post office, and they are a treat to receive.








Sock Block Swap
I've been participating in this cute exchange for several months and can just imagine the cute quilt these blocks are going to make. This is my block for May.












And now to the last swap ~ luggage tags. The picture shows the tags with out the tie-ons but you can see the space for the hole (not yet cut) at the top where I will thread thru the tie-ons.
I did these on the embroidery machine in two hoopings and they were such fun to make, I'm making more for my Christmas gifts box. The design is one of mine, not purchased anywhere.

That is what I accomplished this weekend. It always feels so good to create something, doesn't it? Have a wonderful rest of the week! hugs

Happy Memorial Day!

What a great day this has been. At 12:56pm my quartet, Joyful Sound, sang the national anthem at the Texas Rangers baseball game against the New York Yankees (alas, we did not win!). First there was the induction of 10 men and women into the navy, then we sang and right as we finished there was a fly-over of helicopters. It was so cool. My four year old grandson was just stunned into silence and that is one thing that seldom happens in his glorious little life. What a great experience. To all the veterans out there, thank you, thank you, thank you!

My Sewing Room

I really prefer to call it a Studio but lately, I just call it a "mess". I was able to take over our garage for my sewing studio a few years ago and was just thrilled with all the space. But as all quilters know, you can never have enough fabric.
Two weeks ago we had a problem with our sprinkler system and of course, the controls are still in my studio. Because I have manage to "fill" up the studio, it was necessary to move things around to get to the box to finish the repairs. I have now worked for a week just to clear my cutting table and though it is not completely done, it is beginning to look great.
For all of you out there that think you have too much fabric, thread etc, these next pictures should make you feel much better. Beginning at the cutting table and working left....
You see my hanging rack full of beautiful fabric. What you don't see is the other side of the rack
full of more beautiful fabric. Below the rack are plastic tubs full of more fabric. Continuing left..

This corner shows you bolts of beautiful fabric (tiny in the picture) stacked on a counter top, my filing cabinet and batting roll. Going left you see more "stuff". It is this area I am working to clean up so I can set up my quilting machine and frame that I bought six years ago. Continuing left....



Here you see the beginning of the shelving my husband left me when he moved out of the garage. You can also see the wires, tubes and stuff for the AC unit installed and the sprinkler system. There are three usable levels of shelves for me to stack stuff on. The large plastic containers (you can't see the bottom shelf) holds my "sorted by color" fat quarter collection. The other containers have buttons, tape, glue, stabilizers, tulle, threads, ribbons etc.


Moving left, after the last of the shelving comes my ironing station (haha) with shelves above for all my magazines. Behind it are the plastic storage towers that hold most of my embroidery thread. The follows my baby, "SWF", and another thread caddie. Now we will look at my actual sewing area. Are we having fun yet?


Here is my new sewing table with my beloved Pfaff 7570 on it (this was my first embroidery machine and the cause of my addiction, lol). It is not usually this cluttered, but I have been working on my cutting table so....it will be cleaned off again real soon. Then my great serger and to it's right is my second embroidery machine, Brother 2000. It is a gem. I still embroider on it and it sews great too.

Well that is all. Someone told my daughter that a cluttered desk, home, etc does not allow you to be creative - well, they are way wrong. I can work in clutter or in clean ( of course, I would prefer clean) but just because it is cluttered does not slow me down one bit. Time is my worst enemy. Anyway, I hope this make every one who sees this feel better about their space.
Hugs to all!

Chicken Pincushions

First off, I cannot believe it has been 2 months since my last post. Bad me...LOL
I wanted to share a picture of some chicken pincushions I made for a swap on one of my groups. I found this little pattern on line and I must say these look nothing like chickens! What do you think?


Oh, doesn't this look like the cutest little fish? I just had to share!

Is it really 2009?

My goodness, how time does fly! I am so bad about posting - but then, I've not gotten alot of time for sewing either. But....... things are looking up!
Last month I was able to make some of the most darling scissor keepers from a pattern on the net.
Arent' these just the cutest?








Well, yesterday I was able to sew up another little set for a gift for my daughter Lily, in AR.
She is just learning to sew. She has a friend who is very artistic and I have been encouraging Lily to spread her wings and give it a go. She started doodling and wha-la, she is now doing pencil sketchings and painting. Now she and her friend are trying out "sewing". I just love it!




While the super bowl was playing on TV, my sewing machine was running a great game for me!
There was a free pattern on the net for a PC Caddy. I downloaded the directions and templates but decided I wanted to use a cardboard tube for the center to give it some real stability. Here is my interpretation.

Now today I thought I would do a little catch up on some baby gifts. Below is one of the baby clock faces I made and will insert into a clock. These make the nicest, most unexpected gifts.









Well, enough for today. I hope this New Year brings you much joy and lots of creative moments!