Family Time

Nothing like curling up with a good book on such a cold, rainy, winter's day.
Oh, dear - here comes trouble. (I see you peaking up from under the table)


Come on trouble, just walk on by!! I was so into this nap....er, I mean book!

Time for a Change

Picked up my new glasses today. We were outside in the carport for this photo shoot. Nevermind the stream of votive candles running out the back of my head. Just focus on my new glasses....I love him dearly...bless his heart!!!

I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues.....

I get myself into so much trouble...spent the better part of yesterday afternoon putting (back) together my "Creative Friends" on my sidebar. Nope, have no clue how they all got deleted (??). Well, okay, perhaps I was a little too exuberant with the delete key. But, anyway,I'm getting my friends back together into one room! Added more of you back this morning. Just know that any slight is not intentional.


Move over....you're slowing me down!

Christmas Gifts and More Musings

As I took down the Christmas tree yesterday, I paused to reminisce about Christmases past. It's a tree ornament now, but it was a gift tag in it's first life.



When my niece, Stephanie, was perhaps 6 years old, she gave me a Christmas mug with a packet of hot chocolate (I think). This little packet of potpourri was tied to the mug's handle. What is so delightful about all this - she had taken the price tag off the mug and turned it into a Christmas tag. There was enough space on the tag for her to write around the price to let me know it was to her "Aunt Mart" from her "Dear Stephanie". I cherish this little gift from two + decades ago. All those years ago and at such a young age, she was recycling!! I could learn a few things from her.....


All these December's and not a chip or crack.



I must have been very good this year. Look, Santa did leave me my large cone thread holder. This was #1 on my wish list. Should you covet one (or more) coneflowers, check out Paul's Metal Petals. Delightful.



Here's a wall hanging quilt gifted to one of my sisters. I love this fabric and unfortunately didn't buy enough of it. Let this be a lesson to me!



Made just one more pin. I did this as a favor to myself to help me relax after the hustle bustle involved in holiday shopping, visiting, gifting and eating.



2010 - I'm ready. I resolve.....

xxx's and ooo's

Marty

"Stuff Who!" an artist trading card by Diana Bracy

Turkey Stuff Who 002
Originally uploaded by diana.bracy

Christmas has passed, but not the stuffed feeling I have. I was just out there roaming around in Flickr and found this little cutie.

Stuffed a turkey....stuffed myself.

Go see the rest of Diana's artist trading cards. They may be small, but they are fantastic. What an imagination!

ACEO's - photos on Flickr

The most delightful blog One Pretty Thing gives us the best links to Flickr pics. My ACEO "Country Roads" was a One Pretty Thing pick to be featured yesterday. WOW!

Having seen this one, I revisited some of my other ACEO's. Here is one of a series "Log Cabin Revisited." It's an abstract version of the log cabin quilt pattern.

I don't need to interpret "Birds on Highwire"...do I?


One of my personal favorites - "Robin's Eggs"
I used wool roving to make the nest then added Swarovski sapphire crystals for the eggs. A twig was added to give extra strength to support her nest in case of a wind storm!

You've heard the saying...."Go West, young man", well with all the turmoil in the far East, I told my little fish to go west. One of a series "Swim West, Little Fish, Swim West!"


ACEO's....that's "art cards editions and/or originals"....are all 2.5" x 3.5".

"Memories and Manipulations"

DJ Pettitt's "Memories and Manipulations" online class has me so excited...I'm already signed up with a bunch of other anxious folks. It's my very first online class and I can hardly wait till January 4th to get started. What a way to start the new year. In preparation, DJ has already given us a link to download a Photoshop Elements add-on yesterday. I continue to be a work-in-progress!! My learning curved was stretched.....

AND a GIVEAWAY - gotta go to DJ's blog to see what she's up to. It's worth the trip...I promise!

Handmade Wool Purses and Dupioni Silk Pins

Hmmmm......what have I been doing?

Just making purses and pins, that's all.

Here's my recycled wool tweed. And a charcoal gray wool with burnt orange velvet. I'm auditioning the chartreuse Dupioni silk pin on this one.


Here's a photo transfer of "Mary Linda" whimsically stitched on the front of this purse. The song sheet, oh it's "Don't Go Breaking My Heart."

A gold wired taffeta ribbon pin. Love the size of this one.
Just for grins, I decided to make a red Dupioni silk pin. Okay....now, I must make another purse to pin onto. I can do that.....



All the shopping is done and the gifts are wrapped. Plenty of time to play!!

Handmade Christmas Cards

Just about the time I think I'm finished working toward a Christmas deadline, I remember something else I've forgotten....Like Christmas cards. I'm a little slow this year. I did get started yesterday and a few even got put in the mail this morning. Hopefully more tomorrow.

Wow, and I'm watching those fabric scraps disappear from my stash. So, glad I didn't give in and throw these little pieces in the trash. I new in the back of my mind they would be put to good use! To say these are one of a kind is an understatement! I only had the smallest little snippets of some of these fabrics. I think the crystals on each tree really lights them up.

Sure hope friends and family like my scrap happy Christmas card spirit this year.
And, don't forget to hug a baby or a cat or a dog...hey, even a sweet husband too.

Online Image Editing Workshop

I am so excited about DJ Pettitt's "Memories & Manipulations" online image editing workshop. I got up really early this morning to get signed up.

DJ describes her Jan 4 - Feb 1 workshop as a mixed media digital collaboration between photography and graphic design. She says we will enjoy finding fabulous from ordinary as we manipulate and enhance photos and scans in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.

Better Homes and Gardens' Christmas Stockings

I'm gearing up for Christmas and so is Better Homes and Gardens. Love all the Christmas stocking ideas. And this yellow is one of my favorites...



Visions in pink


What a great idea - hang a stocking over each child's bed. Love the two color blue and white in this vignette. So simple, so traditional, so strong. Wow power!


What treasures. Ideas for any style home decor whether it's modern and traditional. Lime green and aquamarine or Christmas red and green. Your choice of materials from tea towels to silk to woven ribbon. Oh yes, polar fleece, felt fleece and KNIT. Okay, I love them all. Go see why!

Happy Sunday morning.

Viagra - I like this commercial !!

It's the Christmas season....a very busy season. But not too busy for me to stop and listen to a few of my favorite commercials.

#1 favorite on my list - Viagra. A forty-something, good-looking guy talks to his image in a plate glass window on the way to his doctor. Yes, the image is talking back to him! The man with erectile dysfunction is telling the window that he can't talk about it. The man's image tells him it's time. It's a commercial that hasn't yet caught my full attention. But wait, when he walks out of the doctor's office, he is smiling back into his image in the plate glass. I guess the image won the argument.

Guy, who is no longer dysfunctional, meets up with a forty-something, good-looking woman. She doesn't make eye contact. Where is this story going....you guessed it, her eyes linger on his crotch. As if she's going to see an erection!! But since the camera doesn't scan down there, who knows, perhaps she does. I hope they made it home and to bed first.

I'm thinking he's thinking she's thinking...money well spent!

And, this ad writer should get a raise. No pun intended. I'm gonna leave this thought process now and go back to my sewing machine.

Hugs til later. And don't forget to over-interpret your favorite commercial! We pay big bucks for them, so need to receive their full value!

Marty

Tying up Loose Ends for Quilt Show

I've been picking up the pieces. Some call it tying up loose ends or completing UFO'S (that's unfinished objects for the newbie crafter!)

Top on my list was getting my entry forms completed for each quilt to be hung in the Cotton Corner Quilt Show in February, 2010...Is 2010 almost here? Where has 2009 gone?

This done, I moved on to printing and stitching labels on back of each quilt. Thank goodness I attach the hanging sleeve as I sew on my quilt bindings. In my older (!)??#@@%) age, I've finally learned that this saves so much agony since I like my hanging sleeve to be of the same fabric as my quilt back. I learned the hard way that those left over backing fabrics disappear so when I would go back to do the matching sleeve, my sleeve fabric was not there!! Duh!!

I'm excited about a new idea for a booth to be featured in the upcoming quilt show. Each quilt guild member has been invited to make items for sale to benefit the guild. Each member sets her own price for her handmade item. If the item doesn't sell, then it goes back to the maker. While we want to make the most money for future guild projects, who wants to bag up and take an item back home to smolder in the back closet. I'm sure there will be some slashed prices on unsold items the second day of our show!!

I think I'll donate this little doll quilt.

And a child's purse. Hopefully some wonderful mother or grandmother will want one for a little one's next birthday!

And for all those book lovers...here is a watercolor book mark.


Oh, yes, and note cards.



More later...I've got to get pricing and packing.

Mini Diary (Paper Journal)

A mini diary - I am focused.



Mary Linda is one of my art cards in the series "Pretty Ladies in Smart Hats." Continuing with my mini diary syndrome, I took her picture and put it front and center on the colored cardstock....added blank pages inside....and there you go...a mini diary to chronical your activities. Or make a grocery list, or write a love letter and mail it off. Envelope included.

Desire to have a mini diary, just email me for details and your desire shall be my command.

Mini Holiday Diary on Marty's Fiber Musings Etsy

A mini holiday diary - Dancing Trees


A mini diary - a great way to chronical the holiday season. Blank pages inside. 4.25" x 5.5". Marty's Fiber Musings Etsy Shop.

- Old Time Santa - mini diary




It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! Catch the feeling...

Gifts For The Person Who Has Everything

I've started a Flickr Group....."Gifts For The Person Who Has Everything." Please go see and add pictures of your unique (or not so unique) handmade items. It's all about fun!

Here are some of my first additions -

Little feet love these little bath mats. Like any quilted item, the more it's washed and dried, the better it becomes. And, since there is no major investment in these little dittys, when one wears out, there is a replacement ready.

Oh, and what freedom I had in stitching up this blue hobo purse. No pockets, no lining, no hassle.
A crawfish purse - it's a Louisiana thing.....
Yep - it's time to make 'em and break 'em. This is one of my favorite resolutions. Sure hope I don't break it this year 'cause nobody likes a crybaby!


Okay, you get the picture. Come join me in the fun.

Hugs.....Marty