"Yesterday was one of those days when I really should have taken my camera along on my morning walk. I saw a family of 7-8 wild hogs; the parents and the half grown brood. I was somewhat concerned because I've heard they can be dangerous, especially the papa. They ran off into the scrub as soon as they spotted me. Whew!
Today while out on my morning walk along our dirt road I saw my first wild hog, in the state park adjacent to the road. Also saw two deer farther down the road. it's always a treat for me to spot deer. It rained this afternoon...one of life's simple gifts that we simply could not exist without.
Titled "I Heart the Guitar Player", this unique Business Card Cozy came form the etsy store of Andrea Baker at http://www.andreabaker.etsy.com Many of my acquaintances play or enjoy guitars and folk music. Take the time to visit her store to see how her creativity manifests itself! The skies were rumbling and grumbling most of the afternoon, but they did not deliver the goods. I spent most of my time today online trying to catch up with reading about online marketing. Tomorrow will probably be a more productive day in my sewing room. Click on the picture for a larger view. And please feel welcome to leave comments! I want to hear what you have to say!
Please check the comments for the artists description and information, and add some comments, too if you are so inclined. Thanks for looking!
I really like the term "upcycled". Upcycling is something many people have been doing for a long, long time. In case it's a new word for you, it means taking one thing that still has a "good life" and making something different out of it rather than just throwing it away. This pillow used to be the skirt of an Eddie Bauer shirt dress. The buttons that went down the front are on the one side of the pillow. The new muslin form is filled with polyester batting scraps leftover from quilting projects as well as the filling from a throw pillow whose time was up. The stuffing from the pillow was commercially laundered and dried for sanitation purposes.As for the top of the Eddie Bauer dress, it is in my closet as a blouse. The colors are cheerful and suits my skin tone. And the pillow is listed as a PIF in eclecticarmadillo.etsy.com PIF=Pay It Forward.
See comments for information about Valerie's Round Robin Quilt Top, and how it came to be. It is for sale in her store at http://www.ponderosaquilter.etsy.com.
This tote bag is made (upcycled) from a very heavy duty canvas sack, and the pockets came from a canvas kitchen apron for which they were ill-suited. I enjoyed making it, especially thinking of how useful it now is; and it will wear for a long, long time. Next project is making a bed or throw pillow from the skirt of a seriously outdated Eddie Bauer shirt dress. Once hemmed the top will be a shirt for me, I think. It's a good color for my skin, so I better keep it. And then, I want to cut a throw pillow from white craft fur to sell on eclecticarmadillo...if my sewing machine can sew it!
And this is most certainly one of those times. I love the avocado and rust colors in these throw pillows. The pillows definitely have a feel good effect on me! If you read a previous posting about my first time venture into making yogurt, then let me just add that it was ready to eat by this morning. And I can say that I am sooo hooked! We used a gallon of 2% milk, and half of the yogurt was refrigerated in storage containers, and some of it is being drained of whey for a soft cheese spread- the consistency being somewhere between yogurt and cream cheese. For some reason it isn't keeping that well, ie. it's disappearing (not so) mysteriously! :) Fred is going to the sleep lab overnight again with the goal of resolving the sleep apnea issues. They are going to hook him up again with monitors, and what he humorously refers to as a Darth Vader mask.
My mother used to grow Wax Begonias up north. They had to be cut back and taken indoors in the fall before the frost, and moved back out again in the spring. I was delighted to see that people grow them here in Florida, and bought two little plants at a spring sale this year. I would like to be growing more flowers and vegetables here, but with the extreme heat, hordes of mosquitoes, and those five dear little escape artists (pygmy goats) I don't find myself exerting too much effort. Quote~ "Family farmers are a national resource. They're great Americans and true heroes." ~Willie Nelson
I'm going to let these pillows speak for themselves. After all, pillows talk! I'm not referring to the kinds of juicy stories
The polka dot fabric/frames came from my friend Valerie of ponderosaquilter.etsy.com Thank you for sharing the foundation for this set of vibrant pillows, Valerie!
"She only makes Cathedral Windows" is what I hear some say. Well, that just ain't so, but that's another story. Granted, it became a passion, but not quite all consuming. This quilted wall art came to be as a result of my friend Valerie asking me if I wanted some plaid CW frames. Said she had some for herself, we could each make something with them and see how they turn out. Couldn't pass up that opportunity for fun, now could I?! This, then is the end result of the fun I had. Fred continues to be amazed, as do I, at how each one is just so different even though they all are constructed in pretty much the same way. 
Speaking of Fred, he just came home now with his brand new chompers. Said they don't bite down right, but it didn't stop him from having lunch at his favorite Chinese restaurant. Making progress with the pillow tops-the backing is cut for the 4 tops that are ready. I suppose I will have to make the forms for the rectangular set. That's it for now, folks...shows over... go home!
Wowza!!! That sunflower bloom is absolutely gorgeous! Just got the pic from a friend, Valerie of http://www.ponderosaquilter.etsy.com. After thunder and rain this morning it cleared up and cooled off...A LOT! Quite unusual for July in Fla. I can take it! Today is laundry day, and working on a pillow top. Got up at 4:00 AM to catch up on paperwork, mail and reading. This evening is the quilt Guild meeting-undecided if I'll make the trip into town. Here's my twitter address if anybody wants to follow...http://twitter.com/erthnsky OK. Back to stitchin'.
Later this year I'll be teaching a class on how to make this clutch at our local
American Sewing Guild meeting, held at Sew Worth It! This is a prototype. I'm very sure I want to use another fabric combination for the tutorial. Fred had 3 more teeth extracted. On Tuesday he will be getting his temporary partial plate. He's begun to fantasize about steaks, and other more solid foods. I'm done with the 10 night house/dog sitting gig. Tomorrow it will be time to get a routine going again. And, as usual, there are so many projects waiting!
How does it happen that you walk into a fabric store, and things tell you what they want to become?! Needless to say LOTS of tuning out has to be done, but even so.....say, when is my clone being delivered? Speaking of which, the movie Multiplicity had some really good moments in it, as well as some not so much.
These two tablerunners have the same fabrics in them, but using a different prominent fabric. Yes, for some peculiar reason, I prefer the word prominent rather than dominant for this description. I still want to get a bird's eye, aerial view of the tablerunners from the upstairs landing. Looks like the weather is going to keep us guessing today. There is some laundry on a folding rack outside...maybe I'll bring it into the porch, juuust in case. Fred had 2 teeth extracted yesterday, so I'm not feeling so good today. Ha ha! He actually weathers that sort of thing quite well. My last tooth extraction was still tender a year later.
Slowly, but surely another throw pillow is taking shape. This is the first of a set of two. I've barely begun with the second one or rather have barely begun with sewing the insets. The frames are made. These are in fall colors, not that I pay very much attention to working in season. It's just that these are colors I'm very fond of. Two more nights of the dog/house sitting, and then that is history. The dogs are so well behaved and sweet. Time to get some cleaning done in this house ....again, or still. Whatever!
It's a rainy day so the light source in this pic is coming from indoors. On sunny mornings the sun shines through the colored glass in interesting ways. As the seasons change the colors show up in different areas of the kitchen and living room. The previously mentioned sweet potato and potted sprouts are in the picture, as well as a Calamondin Liquor in the corner. The Liquor is Fred's experimental project. Calamondins are a very tart, little orange citrus fruit that grows in our locale.