WIP: Deanna's Jungle Quilt

So, here is the quilt I started at the Oregon quilting retreat, hosted by Creative Fabrics. It started as a panel, then I cut off each end and the flowers, suns, etc., to sew on as appliques. I added a row of 6 1/2 inch Batik blocks all the way around. I've just finished sewing on the last of the appliques. There are two of each design, so that gave me 10 and I tried to strategically place them all the way around. I picked up this great black polka dot material to frame it. Next step is to sew on the frame and then start quilting in the ditches!

The original panel was designed into three sections. This is the top third:

This is the middle third:

And this is the bottome third:

There are two of each of these appliques: a circle

An orange and red flower:

A sun:

A pink and purple flower:

And another flower:

And here is the fabric I'm planning on using as the binding! I was going to stick one of the Batik's on the back, but have decided to put on a flannel backing. Next time you see this quilt, it will be DONE! :-D

Sunday, Wash Day

...I don't know when everyone else fits in laundry time, but for our house it seems to be a constant flow of washer and dryer loads. There's only three of us at home right now, and we're all adults, so for the life of me I can't figure out where it all comes from! I've tried to make my laundry room a pleasant place to hang out in since I spend so much time there! My friend Diane, the Rainboot Lady, gave me this great clock and banana colored metal DETERGENT container with scoop. I found a metal tub to keep water bottles at the ready as we head out the back door, and this reproduction cleaner's tin print, along with the red LAUNDRY sign in metal. The cross-stitch I made years and years ago, but it has all my favorite colors in it and it gives me something to stare at while I'm folding and folding - oh, and folding! The biggest problem? I can't seem to get the clean clothes upstairs and into the drawers...

More baby blankets, a tangle of yarn and kittens!

So, here I am continuing my baby blanket sewing frenzy! This is a double sided receiving blanket. Cute little pink-faced caterpillars, flowers and ladybugs on one side, matching flowers on the other. Again, I make these 1 yard by whatever the bolt width is. This one was 60", so it's perfect as a transition blanket for a toddler or as a stroller throw. Tessa will be picking out her favorites when I finally run out of steam (or fabric! lol - not likely!). The remainder will be going in a Christmas box and mailed off to an orphanage in Mexico.

Caterpillar, Ladybug & Flower Receiving Blanket

Are these not just the cutest elephants you have ever seen??? It's a double, so the pink paisley print is on the back. This is a keeper. I have enough elephant fabric to make two more blankets - they will have white polka dot on navy flannel on the back. Now where is my grandbaby?!???

Elephants & Butterflys Receiving Blanket

Ok, so maybe this yarn didn't look exactly like this when my mom, Betty, gave it to me to use for doll's hair, etc., but it somehow ended up this way. Tessa, the lover of mindless activities, has volunteered to organize this mess for me. But since she's a knitter, I think there is an ulterior motive behind her kind offer...

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Sukie!

7 month old Sukie has made herself right at home. She was an SPCA adoption in front of my local grocery store...where I also picked up our pup, Jack. I think I need to stop buying food.

Princess Darya

Darya, 8, continues to be very supportive of my blogging. Here you can see she is gently reminding me that I need to do a daily post. She's a short hair Russian Blue and definitely rules our household!

Sew them and they will come...

Those of you who know me know that I want a grandbaby!!! Neither of my grown children are in any position to give me one though! But I've taken on the attitude that if I start preparing NOW then I'll be all set when a new baby arrives. So, last night I made this double-sided receiving blanket. I love the muted colors and it's oh so soft. I saved enough of the plaid to trim out a matching burp cloth - just need to go buy some cotton diapers!



These are all just single receiving blankets - so summery and so soft. Tessa especially likes the turtles. They are all one yard by whatever width they came off of the bolt (I believe 45") so they are nice and big. I don't have any scraps for matching burp cloths, but was thinking about doing a little embroidery around the neckline of some onesies.

With just shirt-tail hems, these whipped right up in one evening. I love working with flannel, especially baby prints. I haven't washed them...should I, before I store them? My mom, Betty, already has half a dozen knitted baby blankets done for Tessa - you don't think we're putting too much pressure on her to reproduce, do you? lol. Tessa is just as bad as we are, spending her nights drooling over the baby knits on blogs. Especially at "Cast On Cast Off".

Holiday Baking

Thought we'd get a headstart on some holiday baking. These are Chocolate Chip Gingersnaps! And, yes, they are rolled in sugar. Yum, yum, yum...

And these are Snickerdoodles right out of the oven ~

Deanna's Dolls

This is my first-ever attempt at a soft doll with a sculpty face. I made the face after the fact by placing little holes all along the edge and, after baking, sewing the face on like a mask. Yes, she still needs eyes! And then one good top clear coat. In her lap is her Frog Prince. I also have her tufted stool to make and sculpty hands to paint and glaze. The frog has sculpty lips, painted in fingernail polish. I really had a ball making him. You won't be seeing her again until all her jewels have been sewn on and her pointed hat is in place. Keep checking back!


I did not make this lion! He was a gift, but the two dolls are mine. They were made for a store here in Murphys, Fairytales. The original artist, Cynthia Madrid, had commissioned me to make a few dolls from her watercolors. When her store closed I was able to keep a few of my dolls. These are both 23" and are meant to hang on the wall.

After making a few Debbie Mumm dolls for practice, this was my very first attempt at copying a Georges Barbier fashion plate and creating a doll. There are so many things I would do differently now, but I still love her ~ the original artwork is on my sidebar to the left under "Art Deco Love"; it's the third picture down.

Tessa and I just discussed our "theme" for Christmas this year. I usually put up a white tree and cover it with vintage ornaments and a set of ribbon cake ornaments I made with the family a few years ago. This year I promised Tessa a live tree and we're going with mango, peach, apricot and pumpkin colored glass balls, hearts, stars, etc. I'm thinking a HUGE peach harvest moon covered in glitter as a tree topper. I'll post pictures as we start to accumulate assorted goodies for the tree.

Happy Thanksgiving week to everyone. I hope you are all tucked in and cozy, enjoying family and friends and lots of turkey and pumpkin pie!

1920s Romper Stitchery

Here is a cross-stitch I designed and stitched for my mom. It's framed and hanging in her guest bath. If I get at least five fellow bloggers who would like the pattern, I'll make it available for free. I've got a complimentary piece in progress (which means I've got it outlined on graph paper, but haven't colored it in, picked out the DMC, etc.). My designs used to be distributed under my company Marble House Designs. Maybe I'll post a few of my older pieces just for fun!

What a Doll!

Just a few samples of Betty's dolls:

An antique head, all new clothes ~

An old kit with a new twist of trims and embroidery ~


Two playfull softies! Don't you just LOVE the purple yarn hair?!?

Loving Linens

Today it's overcast and it's just Tessa and me - a perfect day for watching movies we love and sewing. I'll be working on cutting out some skirts for T and finishing that last darn Heather Ross slipper. Will post pic's of what I complete tonight.

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Mom and I both have a big love for linens. I took her idea below and went a little crazy at my house, but I'm known for believing that more is MORE!

Betty's Guestbath

Deanna's Powerder Room

Tessa's New Purse

True to my word, I kidnapped T's new purse I made from the Amy Butler pattern below. Here is the finished product. I did the trim with gorgeous seashells, and added a second small mocha flower trim to hide the band the shells were attached to, and then another gold and dark rose ribbon to give it a little flash.

Happy Monday!

Lots of rain this weekend, and weekend guests, including the biggest flying beetle I've ever seen, zooming in from the rain to attack me on my back porch! I still have piles and piles of projects started or almost finished or waiting for that first snip - and they still look just as yummy and inviting as they did weeks ago.




I did complete a pillow for Diane (you can find her incredible on-line rubber boot biz here: DLL Rainwear. Di loves pumpkins and I combined one of Tessa's old sundresses and artwork by DanitaArt, and created this little accent pillow from Danita's print "Redhead Witch Parade". Thank you, Danita, for allowing me to publish my finished product. This pillow now resides in Santa Cruz, CA, in a chair next to Di's fireplace.

Saturday I made Di's daughter, Jordan, a poncho, skirt and scarf out of cheetah print and roses fleece. Of course, Jacob needed a poncho, and I whipped up one out of wild horses for him. I also finished an Amy Butler purse for Tessa from this pattern:

Tessa is already using the purse, but I'll snag it and post a pic in the next day or two. Today I went up to my mom's and tackled a Heather Ross slippers pattern that was published in Home Companion. I had enlarged the pattern as directed and cut out the size Medium as my test pair. After sewing up one slipper, and trying it on, it became clear that even by enlarging to the 200% the sizes were a bit 'off'. The medium came out to be a very solid Small (or size 5). I'll be posting the finished pair here as a giveaway or swap. The style is to die for and such a great way to use up 1/8 yard fabric remnants - lots of opportunity to use funky fabrics together, and use up that rickrack we all hold onto! I added padded insoles and non-stick rubber backing on the soles for comfort and durability.



Time for dinner: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts covered in pineapple terriyaki marinade and covered with a can of pineapple chunks (cook uncovered for an hour at 350), some sticky white rice and steamed pea pods - life is GOOD!

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I can't believe I bought the whole bolt - - - but I did!

Heather Ross, Mendocino - Mermaids, Free Spirit

Have you ever stepped around the corner of fabric collecting and fallen down Alice's rabbit hole into fabric hoarding? First, she isn't a mermaid - she's a siren, like the logo for Starbucks...and her tail is the most wonderful dark purpley-brown, and there are seahorses and octopusses and starfish, oh my!!! The mere idea of someone else getting their hands on this fabric brought tears of jealousy and envy to my eyes, and the green-eyed monster of I WILL NOT SHARE marched me right up to the counter at Creative Fabrics, requesting the entire bolt. Over seven yards of this glorious underwater fantasy, and it's mine, all mine!!! Of course, I bought several yards of the companion piece; gold with the little magenta seahorses...but only as a casual afterthought. Now the question is this...do I see a quilt, a jacket and matching Amy Butler bag, crib bumpers with matching coverlet??? Oh, the possibilities are endless. But for now, I am content to sit and hold the bolt in my lap and drool like an idiot. Idiot savant!

Off with her head!

Bust on fridge!

Bust on piano!

So, maybe I should confess now, I gotta thing about vintage heads...I bought the bathing beauty bust at a little shop in Stockton, CA. She's wood and who knows what else - copied from a Jansen bathing suit ad. I just love her face. My family says she 'creeps them out' - that she watches them! I haven't found the perfect spot for her yet, so the piano seemed the safest place for now. As for the head on my fridge...she was an eBay purchase. She's sitting on an old fugde tin at present, but she, too, needs a more permanent spot. I'm thinking she will end up on a corner shelf in the master bath, right by my claw foot tub.

Quilt Retreat: Wheeler, Oregon: Creative Fabrics

Betty and Doris, owner of Creative Fabrics in Wheeler, Oregon

Our gorgeous view of the Nahalem River

Betty showing off the lacy jaccuzi curtains


Can I sew in this tub...?

Plenty of room for two. They even have a third bed that fits right under the window if there are three of you staying together. Tessa was our third, but alas, school exams kept her home.

The most comfy king bed EVER!

Sometimes retreating is a GOOD thing! Retreat today, and live to quilt another day! Betty and I just got back from Wheeler, Oregon, where we stayed at The Old Wheeler Hotel http://www.oldwheelerhotel.com/. Our hostess for the weekend was the owner of Creative Fabrics, Doris. She carries the most beautiful bolts of fabric (I had to buy an entire bolt of one print - I couldn't stand the thought of anyone else getting some...I must learn to play well with others...hehehe, not likely!).

More pictures of all of the fabric and patterns I bought tomorrow. Right now, I need to go and finish the drawstring bag I started for Tessa.