Completed Bathroom!

I never thought that I would be showing off a toilet on my blog but here I am doing just that! Our new downstairs bathroom has been several months in the making. My husband is responsible for the majority of the work and it was done in the evenings and weekends. He jokes that he should have a blog called "After Quiet Time" because I ask him not to make lots of noise during nap time so he has to hold off on the loudest parts of projects till Penny is awake.

Here is the glass shower enclosure that we were waiting on for the last couple of weeks.

And here is a closer view to show off that tile panel. Doesn't it look a bit like a tile mini quilt? I obviously have mini quilts on the brain too often.

Here is the sink area. I need to find a basket to put under the sink to hold the towels and cleaning supplies. I am having a hard time finding one in the right size and style though so it might look like this for awhile!

And finally, this is the towel wall behind the door. I searched a bit to find soft grey towels to match the grout on the floor tiles and the marble sink.
The best thing about the bathroom won't be fully appreciated for another couple of months-radiant floor heating!
I am so glad that this project is over. We aren't sitting idly though. Our office room which is adjacent to the new bathroom is already down to studs. We were happy to discover a pine and birch floor that we can preserve as well as an old door opening into the back hall that we are going to reopen!

More Kokeshi Dolls

I really love making these little stencils! I tried out a cute new hairstyle on this pair that I found while Googling kokeshi dolls.

Take a Look See

Take a "look see" at what I have been doing...I crack myself up...I think that this is what happens when you are generally alone with three children all day, every day. Your sense of humor deteriorates to their level! Anyway, I have been having some more printing fun!

I wanted to try out some linocut text. I carved out the words "look" and "see" since I wanted to make eyeglass cases.

I made a couple of cases where I printed my linocut block repeatedly over the entire piece of fabric for the exterior.

The hand stitching coordinates with the lining. The linings on those two are Joel Dewberry's Modern Meadow and Michael Miller's Lava Lamp.

Then I made one with a pieced exterior, separating the words into rows.
They were lots of fun to make! I am interspersing these fun projects with some little behind the scenes commission work that I am doing for a friend's grandchildren for Christmas. The items are things like teddy bears, crayon aprons, doll quilts, etc. I am not going to share those pictures because I would hate to ruin her surprises!
These are now in the shop.

Printing on Knit

It worked! I had never tried printing a linoleum block on knit before but really wanted to make a goldfish bag t-shirt for my daughter. I wish I had a better picture to show but she wasn't in the mood to stay still for me today. She and Timothy were off to play kitchen in the forts they were building by the barn.

Knock off T-Shirt

I saw this really cute boy's t-shirt in the Chasing Fireflies catalog this spring. Timothy loves pirates so I knew he'd like it but I can't pay $34 for a t-shirt! So I stuck the picture on my inspiration board and finally did something about it!

Here is my little pirate! I got the t-shirt at Target for $4.00. I used Kona solids and Steam a Seam Lite fusible web and appliqued my sketched version of the pirate image. I'm really happy with the way it came out and the savings too of course! I do wish I had done this earlier in the summer but I think it is big enough for next year, he can layer it in the fall, and this way it isn't stained for school!

Christmas Linocuts on Fabric this time

I have been printing Christmas designs on fabric. I am finding that they look best in darker ink colors. It is currently dreary and cool so I am not minding the heat setting part of the process as much as I did just a week ago when it was hot and dry!

Goldfish Bag Print

Just letting you know that a couple of goldfish prints have made their way into my shop. If you order, don't forget to leave me a note in the comment section so I know which way you want your fish to swim!

"For the Love of Goldish" for Mary

When my blogging friend Mary made this post at the beginning of July, my wheels began turning. I thought how fun it would be to make a goldfish bag linocut. I couldn't get the idea out of my head so a couple of weeks ago, I asked Mary if she would like to do a one to one swap.

The silly thing agreed without any idea of what I intended to make. She kindly agreed to make me a tissue box cover for our new bathroom in return. I sent her a paint chip and she is currently stitching away. We also agreed to send each other a bag of scraps.

I really enjoyed making this for Mary. I didn't make any attempt to copy the Heather Ross goldfish material but used it as my inspiration. I cut a linoleum block to print the bag. Then I cut freezer paper stencils for the goldfish and positioned them heading in different directions and in different spots in the bag (yes, I made up a bunch of them while making Mary's).
It was a lot of fun and a nice excuse to email Mary on and off for a couple of weeks. It seems we are both struggling with our little ones' sleep issues at the moment. This was a fun swap from one tired mommy to another!

Holiday Collection of Linocut Greeting Cards

I have always enjoyed making Christmas cards. For the longest time, I carved one linoleum block design each year at Christmas for my personal Christmas cards. Then I began printing small editions to sell at art fairs.

These designs were already printed and ready to go so I have listed them on Etsy. Christmas is still 4 months away but that's how long Etsy listings are good for so the timing makes sense to me!

I like the fact that many of these designs could be used all winter, not exclusively for Christmas. I have some other blocks that are carved but not printed that I hope to get to, including some gingerbread men and an angel. I have also begun printing some of these blocks on fabric for Christmas projects.

Potholder Pass 4

I just completed a set of potholders for Potholder Pass 4. I couldn't decide if I liked them best on the red barn...

or the white. So here you have both! My design was inspired by this quilt. I decided that I wanted to try something in solids which seems to be the current trend. I based my color selection from the one print that I used, Anna Maria Horner's "Up All Night" from her Garden Party line. I fussy cut pieces of it to use for half circles and used it for the backing as well.

I also wanted to try this project in reverse applique. I used taupe colored linen and a matching thread to applique with a zig zag stitch.

I feel like I am having a hard time pinning down my partner's taste so I am going to post these to Flickr and see how she comments. If she likes them, I am all set. Otherwise, I might try one more time since I still have 5 weeks before the deadline.

Flashy Fish Prize

The last of my prizes from the Crafterhours Skirt Week contest arrived yesterday. It's been like Christmas here for a couple of months with all of these prizes filtering in! This time, my prize is from Flashy Fish, an Etsy shop selling felt hairclips. I got to choose which I liked best. I fell hard for all the hedgehog items. She sent the two small striped covered button elastics as a bonus.

I tried to get some "in action" shots to share with Kim. Lily wanted to wear everything at once. This morning she had one hedgie on each braid and the big felt hedgie hairclip up top! In this picture she is looking at Penny's hairclip and gushing.
Now, Penny wouldn't stay still for a picture showing her little cupcake hairclip. She was after that plastic plum calling out "ball, ball." Thank you Kim!

21 Days Later, It Arrived!

The very creative and talented Michele from Michele Made Me is my partner for the Pincushion Pass. She mailed me my package 21 days ago. We had talked over email last week and both feared that it had been lost in the mail. Much to our surprise, it arrived today!

It was worth the wait, of course. I would have been so sad if this pincushion had been lost. Michele put so much work into it. I love it because it is one of her signature pieces. It just screams out "Michele Made Me."

The design starts on the bottom and reaches up the sides to the center front. There are so many little tiny stitches in this piece! Her stitches are so neat and precise. To top it all off, Michele included two fun pieces of fabric and some gorgeous lace. I love lace so this thrills me. I will make sure I find just the right, perfect project for them at some point. I have enjoyed getting to know you Michele and thank you for the lovely note and gift!

Fall is in the Air

Looking around the yard today, I am struck by how fall like it is starting to look and feel. It has been relatively cool today with a breeze. The garden is relaxing into fall colors, perhaps brought on a bit early by the drought this summer.

In fact, my "Pumpkin Time" and "Autumn Accent" daylilies have been blooming for some time now. As you might guess from their names, they were supposed to bring color to the yard later in the fall! The sedum are beginning to bloom. The local farms are setting out the mums to get them ready for sale in a few weeks. And the school supplies are purchased. Soccer cleats and shin guards are ready. Teacher assignments have been made. For me, the initial feelings of fall quickly turn into thoughts of Christmas. I need to start my Christmas gift planning and making! I have some Christmas linocut cards for the shop too. I hope to get those up within the next few days for other crazies like me who leap from late summer to fall to Christmas within mere moments!

Yarn Dilemma

My well intentioned husband bought me a lovely sweater pattern by Marie Grace Designs called the Lily Cardigan for my birthday last November. He also bought me the yarn required to make it (see above). I think he over estimates my knitting ability a smidgen but I really love the sweater so I want to make it. Last winter I caught the knitting bug for a spell because I had a little baby to keep warm. I knit a pair of pants for her, a hat, a "suntop" and then hats for her older brother and sister too (out of fairness, you know?). These projects were also meant to get me geared up to start the sweater, to get into the knitting groove so to speak. I chickened out and postponed the project to the summer which is now winding down and I still haven't started. I think I need another little project to get me going again.

I picked up these four balls of yarn in the 50% off bin hoping that I could make something with them but I need guidance. Does anyone know of a simple hat in an 18 month size that I could make with a ball of any of these? Any other ideas? Here is what I have: 50 g balls of Waterlily Classic Elite Yarns 100% extra fine merino, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino aran, Debbie Bliss Rialto Dk 100% merino, and a 100 g ball of Ella Rae classic superwash. Help!

Ladybug Linocut Tea Cozy

Here is the more whimsical tea cozy that I had in the works and mentioned in my post yesterday.

I used a little loop of my custom twill tape on the side!

I also added a little hand stitching on this tea cozy along the linen stripe in the front. The reverse side is identical except that the ladybug stripe is replaced with the strawberry print. It makes me smile.

Tea Cozy

The other day, I bought a couple of yards of Insul-Bright for the Potholder Pass. As I was reading the label, I noticed that it could be used for tea cozies and I was immediately inspired! I printed a row of four butterfly lincuts onto taupe colored 100% linen and then pieced and quilted a tea cozy using the Insul-Bright inside and "Martinique" by 3 Sisters for Moda for the front, back, and lining.

I am not a coffee person but I do like tea so this was a fun project for me to make. I like picturing this tea cozy keeping someone's tea warm. I have another one cut out that is more whimsical. Check back in a day or two for that one!

Twin Garden Phlox Needle Books

I finally made myself a needle book and while I was at it, I made a twin for the shop.

The garden phlox linocut is one of my favorites and what sealed the deal was finding the material that I used on the back and inside of the needle books. It is called "Flower Power Stripe" by Lake House Dry Goods. I love it! I have always liked text used in artwork, fabric, whatever. But this material also has tans, greys, and pinks which I love AND is all about flowers! I really can't get much better in my opinion!

I added a zig zagged snip of fabric from the panel that reads "Phlox" on the felt page as an appropriate embellishment considering the design on the cover.

I have begun happily filling my needle book. It really is a great little thing. I have a terrible tendency to stick my needles here and there, for example, the arm of the couch.
I have a question for you. Do you find yourself sewing faster if you are about to run out of thread, as if that will somehow help? I do and it makes me laugh every time. It happened on this project.
And finally, there has been some interest in the ladybug material that I designed on Spoonflower.

If I were to have it available for purchase on Spoonflower, it would cost $11 for a fat quarter plus shipping. If I were to order several yards with my 10% designer discount, I could sell it to you for a couple of dollars less per fat quarter. If you would be interested in some, please let me know and I will put an order in. It will take about a month to get to you (3 weeks for Spoonflower to ship and then I would get it out asap).

Dylan's Ball Pillow

My nephew, Dylan, is turning 6 tomorrow. Not too long ago, he had his first loose tooth so I whipped up a tooth fairy pillow and sent it to him. My sister doesn't sew at all so I knew that if I didn't make one, she'd have him use a ziploc baggie! I couldn't have that. It was a super simple pillow with a baseball applique. My sister told me that he loves it so much that he sleeps with it every night. And apparently, he is jealous because I made his brother a monkey tshirt for his birthday present and he wanted something else made by Aunt Amy. I was so touched and flattered. After consulting with my sister, we decided that a larger pillow, more appropriate for sleeping with than a tooth fairy pillow, would be the perfect gift.

For Dylan, it has to be covered with balls.

I appliqued a football, tennis ball, baseball, soccer ball and basketball. I hope he likes it. I admit that I pushed this project off a bit because it isn't as appealing to me as printing linocuts and making little feminine patchwork items. But I had fun with it and I look forward to hearing about its new life with Dylan. I will hear it through my sister, not Dylan, because he is too cool to care about a pillow (but we know otherwise thanks to my sister).

Wheels and Heels Parade

Today we hosted a "Wheels and Heels" parade at our house, cleverly named by my husband. Kids were to decorate anything that they could walk behind and push or in front of and pull. We did this because there is a yearly doll carriage parade in the next town over that Lily wanted to participate in but they changed the dates and we missed it.

Before thinking about it very long, I told her that we'd have the parade instead. Then I got nervous but it was a great time. This is my 4 year old Lily with her butterfly garden on wheels. She even wore her butterfly sundress and butterfly hair accessories and wings on her back.

Her carriage is covered with green felt for grass and then many, many tissue paper flowers. I did the folding but the kids helped open out all the flowers. Then Lily painted all the butterflies herself. She then stuffed every stuffed animal that she could into the carriage.

Timothy, age 7, went with a tropical/jungle theme. We wrapped his wagon in two layers of construction paper cut to look like grass.

The coconut tree is a mailing tube covered in brown paper with a little brown paint. The leaves are green felt with heavy wire hot glued to the underside to give them the ability to be shaped. The coconuts are balled up newspaper wrapped with masking tape and then painted.

He also drew animals and taped them on here and there in the grass. Riding in the wagon were monkeys, a tiger, a lizard, and a plastic snake, along with his favorite stuffed cat.

All the kids lined up and marched around the circular driveway to marching music while my mom filled out these ribbons that I made. They were each presented with one at the end. Since I don't want to show pictures of other people's kids without permission, I can tell you that we had a carriage draped with paper chains, one with dolls all wearing name tags, one with birthday balloons (it's her birthday tomorrow), a doll's bed with a canopy in a wagon, etc. Two girls even wore princess dressed and plastic high heels.

After, the kids played in the yard and snacked. They stared getting a little silly. Timothy took out the tree and started riding his wagon on his belly. It was a nice afternoon with beautiful weather. Penny loved the parade and music. She wanted a ribbon too so Mom wrote out one that said "The Cutest Baby" and she was quite pleased. Lily said that she wished that no one ever had to go home. Now I best go finish sweeping up the snacks from the porch!