Bunting or Pennants?

Or perhaps they are flags?  Whatever they are called, I was recently in a swap with the Stargaze Tomers.  The five I received were soooo wonderful.

I got Sarge to hang them up from the ceiling beam in my studio and I absolutely love looking at them!

This one was made by Lucille J. from Canada

This is from Kathy K. in Michigan

Rhonda S. sent this one from Australia.

This is by Cynthia M. in New Zealand

and this lovely is from Barbara R. of Florida.

Here is what I sent to each of them:

We had an opportunity to request a specific color, and I asked for purple!  The others just wanted bright colors, so I made a rainbow collage as the backgrounds and then appliquéd and beaded. 

What fun it has been to have goodies coming in the mail.  Oh.  And that title?  An acquaintance asked if I was doing any swaps lately and I said “We are doing pennants.”  She looked very puzzled, and I realized she thought I had said “penance.”  I’m sure she was wondering just what kind of group I had gotten in with!!  So I’ve taken to calling them “bunting” just to be safe!

I wonder what other swaps I can get into?

Wednesday WOW – August 10

I’m not sure what happened today.  I distinctly remember taking the camera, pointing it at my work surface, and pushing the button.  But when I arrived home from the quilt shop, there were no photos on the camera!!!

So, even though I spent all day stitching on quilt blocks, I cannot show you this week’s progress.  What I can do, however, is show you my worktable on Tuesday!

Yesterday I started the beadwork for the pennant swap I am a part of.  Once this step is done, I plan to add the backs and finish the edges, then perhaps some more beads before shipping them off.  Deadline is August 31 . . . there’s actually a chance I might make it!!!

The Postcard Chronicles

After a vacation from trading postcards last year, I have been joining in once again.  However, I haven’t been very good about sharing them with you.  So, time (and beyond) to catch up.

The theme for the first swap was “Girly”.  Now that sounded like fun!  So this is what I made for Teresa:

And I received this one from MaryLou:

For the next swap, the group decided on a seasonal theme.  For most of us, it was Spring, but since some of our swappers are from Down Under, it could also be Autumn.

This is what I sent Michele in the UK.

And I received this one from Linda in UK:

That brings us to June where the theme was “Sundae.”  My goodness, that sounded yummy!  In fact, that is what I stitched all over the background of this card.  It went to Linda in UK:

And I received this from Cat in Canada.  Doesn’t that look good enough to eat?

 

July’s theme is “Fairy Tales.”  Got to get my thinking cap on!

Pieces of Friendship

I signed up to swap puzzle pieces with the Pieces of Friendship Yahoo group.  Pieces of Friendship is the brainstorm of Pat W and she hosted one of these swaps last year, too.   You can see more about these little puzzle pieces on this blog.

So, I spent some time making little crazy quilt squares.  I'm not really a crazy quilter, but I can embroider and I'm always drooling over some of the pretties out there.  Here are some of the pieces I made.

After I sent mine off, a package came back in a really reasonable time.  Wendy did a great job of coordinating everyone's pieces.  This is what I got back.

Starting at the lower left (blue) and moving clockwise, they are from  Wendy, Karen, Nicki, and someone who forgot to sign the back.  Oh no!  If you recognize this piece, let me know who made it please.

I tried to take closeups of mine and the ones I received, but apparently this is a skill I need to work on.  LOL!  Maybe I will figure that out by the next swap.  Here is what my Puzzle Wall is looking like so far.

Looking forward to filling up that wall.

 

P.S.  I started writing this post a month ago!  I needed to look up a web site . . . and then something else . . . and then . . . well, you get the picture!  Stumbled across it today, so you get to see it after all!

Goodies in the Mail

The last couple of days have brought some special treats in the mail.  I'm like a little kid when there is a gift in the mail!  LOL!

My first "gift" was a postcard from Winsome in the UK.  She was my swap partner for the March Stitchin' Fingers postcard group.  The theme was Let's Go Green.

OK, before anyone points out that this is not Green . . . the "green" in this theme could be either the color Green, or recycle-to-keep-the-earth-green Green.  Got it?  This postcard was recycled from a larger piece that didn't turn out as hoped.  Winsome said she cut it up and used the good parts in postcards.  What a good idea!  And I really like this color, anyway!  There is a lot more sparkle than this photo shows, too.  And you all know how I love sparkle!

This is what I sent.  I chose to use both senses of Green.  The shamrocks are used Color Catchers - in several shades of green.  And the round GoGreen piece is the plastic insert from a pill bottle!  I had fun looking for things to recycle.  It could be addictive I think!

The other special mail I received was another page from the Story of the Traveling Pages group. 

This door is from Chris.  Don't you feel like you can touch the coolness of the stone wall?  And that door really looks weathered.  I posted a close-up on the Traveling Pages site and I encourage you to go see what the rest of the group has been up to.  All the pages have been wonderful!

I'm Having A Birthday

Oh wait!  I already had it!!  So, the best part?  Getting Birthday Postcards, of course!!

From Sheila (no blog),

From Lorna,

From Sue (no blog.  Is that right, Sue?),

From Gina,

From Cindy,

and from Joy.

They are all so different - and sooooo pretty!  Thank you so much, ladies.  It really makes for a special birthday!

Happy Birthdays

I think these postcards should have arrived at the birthday homes by now so it's safe to post pictures.  Cindy and Sheila have the same birthday, so they got almost the same card!  Ladies, if yours has gone missing, please let me know!

I made these two postcards for the January birthday swap I belong to on Stitchin' Fingers.  For the background, I used the trimmings collage I posted about in July.  I stitched it to a purple fabric so some color would show through and then added beads and trinkets.  The weather has been pretty gloomy around here all month, so I needed to use the sunglasses and give them a summery feeling.  And what could be more cheerful than a little sunshine and music on your birthday?

A little side fact I found interesting:  There are two birthday swap groups on SF this year.  Both groups had two January birthdays . . . and all four are on the same day!  You can't plan for things like that to happen! 

Now to get back to the February postcards.  Theme?  Why, Valentines, of course!

First Traveling Page

As I've mentioned before, I belong to a group that is doing a year-long fabric book page swap.  The "badge" in upper right corner of this blog will take you to the group blog where you can find lots of interesting info.

But this post is about the first page I made for Debi.  Her theme is Shabby Chic Vintage.

After doing some web research (I'm not sure I know what Shabby Chic Vintage really is!) I settled on a plan.

I started with an old handkerchief envelope that has a nice edging and a cutwork pattern. I’m sure it is not hand done, but it probably dates back to 40s or 50s. Not “vintage” if you are my age, but I technically . . . .  Then I printed a Dover clipart advertisement for corsets onto cotton fabric and stitched it down with some floral trim and added a few pieces of ribbon/eyelet lace.

Then I pulled out all the buttons! Oh my.  With my own collection plus some from MIL and Mom . . . well, those buttons yielded some interesting pastels and whites which I stitched pretty much at random on the page, along with various sized artificial pearls.

For the back of the page, I framed one of the pictures from a current fabric some of my friends and I have been enjoying.  The look of a fabric is from the 40’s, but the sayings are definitely modern!  I added my label and sent it off to Debi.  She tells me it has arrived - and she loves it!  Well, of course she does.  How could she not?  LOL!

My theme for next month is All Creatures Great and Small.  Lots of ideas brewing for that one!

Things I've Forgotten

I've been a bit distracted and absent minded lately.  OK, that's pretty normal for me - but this has been more than usual!  What with working on challenges and planning for the holidays and the "project from hell" (more on that below), I have not posted pictures of some of the other things I've been doing. 

Two Creative Studios BOM

You might have noticed the badge for this.  Over there on the right side of my blog.  I joined the 2 Creative Studios ning group that Sue Bleiweiss and Terri Stegmiller host.  We are in the third month of Terri's Block of the Month.  Here is a picture of my first two blocks ... third block to come soon.

I'm a Winner!

Part of the fun over at Two Creative Studios is that they are giving away prizes - and I won!  HOW could I forget to post about that? Here's my loot:

Think of the fun I can have with that fabric!  And Sue makes these amazing notebooks with lovely paper inside.  This is almost too pretty to make marks in.  But I bet I will get over that!

Bookmark Swap

This swap was over quite awhile ago and I teased you with WOW pictures, but never showed off the finished products.  Arrgh!  Well, here they are.  The theme was Art Deco meets Art Nouveau.  These are the ones I sent out:

And here is my set from swap partners Jannice, Edwina, and Peggy:

Postcard Swap

I've been trying to get into a postcard swap about every month.  November's theme was open, so I did a Fall scene.  We have enjoyed watching the squirrels dash around scooping up walnuts this year.

And this is the one I received from my partner Doreen.  She used an embellisher and some stitching to make this lovely card.

Traveling Pages

Another new thing you may have noticed on my blog is the badge for Story of the Traveling Pages.  I joined a group who will be making and swapping pages for a fabric book.  There are fourteen members, so this will be a yearlong project beginning in January.  My theme is "Doors" and I can't wait to see what the talented ladies in this group do for me.  If you click on the badge, it will take you to the blog we have set up.

Why Is This So Hard?

"This" is a very nice pattern from a well-known designer who has a reputation for easy, well-written patterns.  It is definitely NOT the designer's fault I am having a horrible time with it. 

I started the project as a gift for someone for Christmas.  It may still get there, but I'm doubtful.  I had to scrimp and patch to have enough batting and interfacing for this and then nothing fused like it's supposed to.  I have ripped and re-stitched just about every seam.  I've walked away several times.  I think the only reason it hasn't gone to the UFO closet is because that is full already!  My original idea was to make several of these this year.  Since I had to cut out 53 total pieces for just one, THAT IS SO NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!!

So, there you go.  With this rambling, picture-heavy post, I should be all caught up.  I wonder what I've forgotten?

Halloween Greetings!

Since the season/day is upon us, I thought I'd show you the postcards I traded recently.  I know a lot of people who are not fond of this holiday - but the images and fabrics associated with it are so much fun!

These are the two postcards I made.  I had some strips sewn together left over from my Halloween wall hanging and I cut figures out of another fabric.  Some fun with stitching and they were about ready to go!

This is the one I received from Gina in Australia.  Doesn't that background fabric look like a windy October night?  Brrrr!

And this one is from Mary Lou in Canada.

What a sweet little witchy poo!  The embroidery adds just the right touch.  Of course, my favorite part is the glitter!

Happy Halloween, y'all.

Pieces of Friendship

My puzzle swap pieces arrived this week!  Well, almost all of them, anyway.  Pat is still working on several of hers, so I got an IOU.  Once that one arrives, I will stitch the pieces together as a wall hanging.  But you can see what this will look like, can't you?

Each of these pieces is different - and each piece is so beautiful!  I don't have very good pictures yet, but I will show you what I have and you can go to the Pieces of Friendship blog or to the individual stitcher's blog to see better pictures. 

Beginning Top Row Left:  First there is my piece.  I've posted about it, so you can see a close-up here.

Cindy from Minnesota.  Her blog is Cindy's Stitches in Time.

Wendy in Singapore.  Her blog is Umi & Tsuru.

Second Row:

Elizabeth in Virginia.  Her blog is called Elizabeth Creates.

Freda from Illinois calls her blog Sew Whats New.  That gold blur is the cutest little teapot (what an awful photo!).

Cathy in Utah.  Her blog is Crazy By Design.

Bottom Row:

Grace in Indiana.  She calls her blog Grace Beading.

Pat's IOU is next.  The little blue flower charm came from Wendy.

Last (and certainly NOT least!) is Maggie from Canada.  Her blog is Magpie's Collectables.

This was an amazing idea for a swap, so I am sending many thanks to Pat for hosting it.  And thank you to all the talented ladies who stitched and beaded in the name of friendship.