Sunday, March 31, 2013

Happy Easter!

I always like to have a pretty dining room table. I like to have special folded napkins and pretty plates. I like a pretty sideboard (now that I have an Ackfeld tabletop holder, I like seasonal mini quilts on my sideboard). Here is this year's table/sideboard:

 
Thanks for visiting.  Happy Easter!

Saturday, March 30, 2013

How fun!

The Stitch Me Up blog hop was so fun and inspiring. I learned a lot about embroidery that I didn't know before and saw many ways to creatively use embroidered pieces.  I think I have a new hobby!Til now I've always admired embroidered pieces but now I can do it. I know as I practice my stitching, I will get better at it.  It will be great to take along on car trips, plane trips and anywhere I have excess time but can't be near a sewing machine.

In the last couple of hops, I've been lucky to win some nice giveaways.  A mug and matching mug rug, cute fabric, a sweet mini quilt, pretty handmade buttons from Africa, and an awesome take along placemat with zippered silverware pouch that rolls up and ties shut. My sister also gave me one of her mini magnetic pincushions that attaches to the side of the sewing machine. How cute is that! I love the blogs hops as I learn so much from them. Winning a giveaway is so fun, the icing on the cake! Thanks to all who offer the opportunity to win!

Incomparable Buttons from www.buttonmad.com and pincushion from quiltingbydawn
 
                                 Mug and rug from Susan Parr in England         fabric from the Recipe Bunny
 Mini quilt from Mary Kolb, Minnesota
Placemat by Melanie Poisson at Creations Cliodana


The next blog hop starts April 8th.  Stop by then to see the schedule.
Thanks for stopping by.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

My turn on Stitch Me Up Blog Hop


When I heard about the Stitch Me Up Blog Hop, I signed right up. I knew it was the challenge I needed to encourage me to learn how to embroider.
Big thanks to Debbie  from Busy as Can Be and Cyndi from Stitch Stitch Stitch for creating these lovely FREE patterns. Big thanks to Jane of Jane's Fabrics and Quilts who has been a wonderful cheerleader and organizer and Madame Samm for this terrific blog hop idea. I ordered Presencia threads from Jane and they were a delight to work with.  A big thanks to our sponsor Colonial Needle


As soon as I saw this pretty lady, I knew she would be my first project.  She reminds me of my Mom. I attempted several stitches on this piece; back stitch, french knot, basic buttonhole stitch, double blanket stretch, coral stitch and squared laid work (variation 2 according to my embroidery book). I then turned her into a table topper for my pretty Ackfeld frame. I hope you like her. 
   

 
My next project was to add an embroidered outline to my Nancy Drew wallet from the last blog hop. It really helps Nancy stand out.
 
 
 
I loved the Nana's chair pattern and wanted to make it as a mini quilt for the door to my sewing room. The pattern reminded me of Mary Engelbreit fabric. I first had to reduce the size of the pattern as the Ackfeld hanger I have for over the door holds a 6 inch mini quilt.  I did not get a chance to finish it as my granddaughter came to visit for spring break and we had such fun traveling around sightseeing that I ran out of time. I did want to show my partially finished project with some M. E. that inspired my color selections. The chair will be filled with stars and M.E. inspired flowers.
 

 
Thanks for stopping by and please be sure to visit all the other creative ladies today:
 
 
WEDNESDAY MARCH 27Th
 
Scrapbook-ChickADoodle  (you are here)

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

It's Time for the Stitch Me Up Hop

This hop is starting Now! Be sure to visit all the creative ladies. Come back to see my creation on Wednesday March 27th!

Here's the schedule for the blog hop~
WEDNESDAY March 20th



THURSDAY March 21st



FRIDAY March 22nd



MONDAY MARCH 25th

Beverly @That Other Blog


TUESDAY MARCH 26th

Jeanette @That Other Blog


WEDNESDAY MARCH 27TH



THURSDAY MARCH 28th

Kristin @That Other Blog


FRIDAY MARCH 29th

Patricia @That Other Blog

Friday, March 8, 2013

The Case of the Disappearing Nine Patch

The Case of the Disappearing Nine Patch.......Sounds like a Nancy Drew book, doesn't it?
When I heard about the Nancy Drew Blog Hop, I joined right away. Ordered fabric and waited ...somewhat patiently. It was delayed, but Woo Hoo here we are, seeing all kinds of cool stuff.
I've been wanting to do an "I spy" quilt since I saw one at my LQS and when Nancy Drew fabric became available, I knew it HAD TO BE and I spy quilt. Next I had to come up with which quilt pattern to use. I know..... what else had a cool name for ND than the disappearing 9 patch? Now to work...."I spy" fabrics for squares 1,3,7 and 9, Nancy Drew fabric for 2,4,6,8 and a coordinating yellow for 5.  Now make sure if the I spy fabric is directional, you put it upside down for the flipping squares 3 and 7.  Now cut Charms...48 I spy, 24 dotted Nancy Drew, 24 blue Nancy Drew, 12 yellow.
Sew, sew, sew. Cut and sew again. I added a coordinating blue border and used the same blue for the binding. Stitch in the ditch and this is how it looks:



(my quilt teacher for my upcoming beginners machine quilting class says she will help me add
cool quilting to the blue border during class despite being already bound. I hope it works out.)

I also purchased the Nancy Drew book fabric.  We have a new home library all in whites, with white shelving and white wicker chairs, but my DH has BLACK speaker for his surround sound. (I know, surround sound in a library?? Well, he also has the home office in there and likes music while he pays the bills). So I asked him how can we disguise the black speakers in the white room? He suggested white wicker baskets. Ok, it helped.....but when I saw the book fabric, perfect! Now the speakers are hidden behind "books".




My last project for today (I still have ND fabric, but not 100% sure what I will make) is a little pocket wallet. I use one all the time so I don't have to carry a purse. It has 4 pockets, one for little things like my Walgreens rewards card, one for credit cards/drivers license, one for coins and one for dollars. I made this one yesterday. I still plan to embroider around the silhouette.
 
Thanks to Carol and Mdm Samm for all you have done to make this a fun hop.
Thanks to MODA for being our sponsor
Well, that was my original post, written but no photos til my DH took them yesterday. No internet service yesterday...was to be up by last night......10:30 pm CST, still no internet....my post is due in 30 minutes....Our local McDonalds has free wifi when they are open. Unfortunately that means not til in the morning. So I was able to send an email by phone to Carol, who was most gracious. I tried our internet first thing this morning but still no service. I came to McD as soon as they were open so I could update my post with photos (and this note of apology).
If you have come back late to visit me, Thanks. 
I will have a giveaway at the end of the blog hop open to all who comment.
 
Congrats to Tammy, the winner of my giveaway. I have sent you an email! Thanks to all who commented on my post.  I appreciate all of you.

 
Please visit all the other wonderful Nancy Drew creators:(full schdule in previous post)
Friday, March 8, 2013


Scrapbook-ChickADoodle (you are here)








 
 
 
 

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Nancy Drew Blog Hop Starts NOW!

THE SCHEDULE


Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Friday, March 8, 2013

Monday, March 11, 2013

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Friday, March 15, 2013