cozy corners

There is something comforting about having things on display in bowls,













some overflowing
some with just a few items.







pretty bowls,
plain bowls,

big bowls and
little bowls

saucers and baskets
shells and tea cups.

filled with comfortable little items tucked away

in odd corners of the house

to surprise and delight

or remind

bits and pieces
useful or not

It's a box!

I finally finished putting the hardware back on the card box so my cards can go back inside.
I forgot to mark the holes so that was an adventure!)
the top of the box symbolizes that the key(well?) to life(dragonfly) is dreaming(moon) of change(skull)

the symbols on the inside of the case are special to me. the three as one, the sun signs of aquarius and taurus, my name in chineese, the moon and 3 stars, the blade of truth, the skull of change, the key, the left eye of horus, 3 bees, a besom, the trine and 3 feathers. 15 symbols 1+5=6 my favorite number, on a bed of green silk for nature and growth and red for passion and love.

so go, be in the world, do what you will and harm none.

something old, something new...

you get the picture. there is something satisfying about finishing a project that looks just as you envisioned! I took some liberties with a pattern I've only seen once in a picture so excuse the lumpy weaving. I made this bracelet after viewing Susan's lovely stormy day bracelet over on Plays With Needles so take a look!

side project

just a little side project to recover an old card box

I'm getting better at the beading aspect of this but still have a bit to go for any proficiency.

i love how the dragonfly turned out, don't you?
the wings are some diacrotic glass i found at garden of beading at country village, here in Bothell very cool

I am in crazy quilt happiness mode

I am in crazy quilt happiness mode!
putting together little purses in different stages of made for my
"beginning CQ"class in october to demonstrate "how to".
fun , fun , fun!

this is my very first teaching gig and I'm nervous.

everyone says "oh just be yourself honey everything will be great!"

but I'm still nervous. what if they don't like me, what if I can't teach, what if I forget how to speak in coherent sentences AGGG!

ok now the panic attack is done I can get back to how I do this.

which are your favorites?
mine is the ballet girl and the brown lady so far. I love the saturated colors in the main black fabric and the delicate blues in the other. that will change as they get more embellished.

sketchbook cover done

I'm done with the sketchbook cover.
and it only took about a month from start to finish!
I love the way the sunflowers came to life here and

the fan turned out very nice, here's the back





I do like my spiders!

the front turned out very well i think and the inside could have been better, more notes for next time.

sketchbook cover

I am starting on a new project today, having noticed my sketchbook is falling apart and I don't wasn't it to, I am making myself a cover for it.
most of the pattern comes from Cassie Barden's book "The New Handmade" I say most because I can never follow a pattern with out adding my own little flourishes or it's a short attention span I haven't decided which.

anyway I am at the stitching over the top stage .

In all this I have also decided to rearrange and refold my fabric stash, so there is a lot of unfolding ironing and refolding to do.
It also gets me in tune with what I have and how best to use it.

I'm trying not to buy any more fabric but I'm never quite as successful at resisting as I want to be.
I have, however, kept it to a minimum of 5-6 fat quartes at a time. god help me if there's a sale ;)!

another purse and a question

I'm making another purse, in a different shape this time.
the fabric was too cute to pass up!
the pattern for this one is even easier than the last one.
just two pieces with a lining, sewn at the seams using ribbon for the strap.
it went together in a week.
I'm thinking of opening an Etsy shop and selling them what do you-all think?

looking past

I remember when I was a little (5 or 6?) my g’ma lived in unincorporated scappoose ore. though the house was set up for electricity they didn’t have any yet, their house was off the grid for the most part, she would drag her hand work or the treadle out to the porch and sew there until the sun went down. they had cold water from the taps but drinking water came from the pump outside the kitchen door, and if you wanted a bath it was heated on the stove and carried to the tub!
I remember asking G’ma why she didn’t have electricity, her answer was because it was simpler not to. as I get older I understand what she meant more and more!