What's new?

Want a groovy project to use those old Scrapbooking supplies on?

How about a reason to buy new scrapbooking supplies?

Do you ever find yourself flipping through a magazine at the grocery checkout, and you come across a page and say out loud to no one in particular, "Holy Crap! Look at this!" I do. Often. I have the memory of a gnat but I'm starting to think it usually happens with this BHG quarterly publication

 

With most magazines I (eventually) just tear out the three of four pages that really speak to me and throw the rest away, but this particular pub is usually so chock full of great ideas I just have to keep the whole thing. This issue is no exception, but the particular page that made me blurt out loud and buy the magazine was this

 

I really really love this idea (becky mollenkamp) as well as the photograph. So I then drove straight to the thrift shop to find an appropriate piece to finish. Appropriate meaning not a bunch of curves and bends...mostly flat surfaces. I ended up buying a table. I'll show you a couple of in-process pics first so that when you try this at home you won't think to yourself, "WHAT have I gone and done now?!"

 

 

Pretty ugly, huh? The thing to keep in mind is variety---both in sizes and fonts. The magic happens when you spray paint it, but after two coats I realized it just wasn't getting into the edges of the letters, so I pulled out some white paint and a small brush and smushed paint into all the edges and crevices...so that the spray paint didn't have to work so hard, you know? In the following photo the letters on the right side of the pic have been touched up and the left side ones (just under the table top) haven't.

Here's the final result:

 

Our new reading table! You can try and read the table, or read the books in that center *pocket*. Click to enlarge and you'll see I put our three grandkids names in there. It'll be fun to see when and if they ever notice. I was so proud of myself that I thought to incorporate their names before I finished...usually I'm in such a git'rdone! mode the project is already finished before I have any more "how about this?" ideas.  I even thought to 'sign' it. :-)

 

I have plenty of letters left and am now on the hunt for the right "reading" chair.

Weekly weight loss report. (are you starting to notice I usually mention this almost as a ps in a much larger post?) I think it's because I don't want to bore the readers who couldn't give a fig about my weight, but I told Sharon at the start of the year that I'd report weekly and by golly I'm doing it! I lost another 2.2 pounds and better yet; went down a pant size! I bought a pair of Lucky jeans at Costco 2 or 3 weeks ago. They were too tight, and instead of returning them like I normally would, I put them up on the closet shelf knowing they would fit soon. And today they did!! Steady wins the race.

Have a great week!

Sept 20, 2010 update

Here's another application for you to try!

You might want to go by Target today...

Honestly, as soon as this little town of ours got a Target a couple years ago I thought, "Okay. I guess I can live here to the rest of my life." Life is what you make of it--wherever you happen to live, but some cute-stuff shopping is almost a basic necessity, don't you think? With the Easter stuff Target is currently offering this egg stand for, I think $12.99?

 

and if you don't have eggs, it's good for holding candy, too

 

by the way, it comes in a perfectly lovely shabby-chic off white. I think I was just excited to have something to paint with my new can of Krylon Ocean Blue that Monica turned us on to last summer. 

So if the whole Easter thing isn't your bag you can use it to hold supplies and what-nots

 

Do you think if I keep these bits and bobs out in the open I'll be more likely to start making jewelry again?

 

eh...probably not. Too many sewing projects lined up at the moment. :-)

I'll stop with the pictures now. I'm also thinking this will get spray painted pink for Kadence's princess birthday party this Fall and have it hold white choc dipped strawberries. (yes, I'm already planning a party 6 months away. You knew I was a nut, right?)

I think with the advent of ebay, antique shopping as we once knew it will  never be the same. The prices, here in CA anyway, just take all the fun out of even looking. I do still have one annual event that I can look forward to. The Cancer Society thrift shop has a Vintage and Antiques sale during this three day weekend. Some folks probably say "the prices are so high for a thrift shop!" but I say, "Yay! Affordable antiques and collectibles!" The sale started on Friday and I made the sad mistake of taking Madison in with me. She was in a stroller, but screamed her head off the whole 8 minutes that I tried to shop. I tell you what--when I ran back the next day sans kids, it about killed me to hear they had $7000 in sales that first day. OH what did I miss!? I guess I don't need to know. I did a fair amount of damage to the wallet even only getting second day stuff. Lots of hankies and pristine mercury glass garlands and fabric and various doodads. I did want to share this lovely hexagon or honeycomb quilt top that I got.

 

It's all hand sewn, of course. I clipped it up on the 10 foot quilt wall to show how big it is. The fabrics are so sweet and still vibrant

 

I know some will shudder to hear this but I think I've decided to use it, albeit sparingly, as fabric. Small projects like bags and totes, maybe individual pieces as pincushions.  It would see a lot more of the world that way than finished off as a quilt and hidden under a bedspread or shoved in a closet. That's what I'm thinking for now, anyway.

Well, I hope you all are having a fine weekend. And don't forget to look for the egg stands if you happen to be by Target. :-)

OH!! And check out the links in my new right sidebar for Creative Jens. Just like you always notice other pregnant people when you are in the same boat, or when you're feeling chubby and only notice skinny people---over the years I couldn't help but notice how many other creative Jen's I run across in blogland. So I finally put together a list dedicated to them. They're all awesome in their own particular ways. Please let me know if I've forgotten someone!

A couple of thrift shop finds, a FAB quilt book, and my vote for AI

Here in CA there is a big ol' pile of unclaimed money in our State Controller's Office. My sister and I each have a pretty large chunk there, dating back to the early 60's. Why is it still sitting there you ask? Because in order to claim it we have to show proof that we lived at 1742 Spring St, Mt. View, CA; via a piece of mail, for example. Even my sister, who's name hasn't changed twice due to marriage like mine and who would really like that money, hasn't been able to get at it in the three years since we first learned of it. I hear rumor that all unclaimed funds are being absorbed by the state this June. If I thought it would help I'd say, "have at it!" Getting to the point of my story, I recently bought this book at the thrift shop because the artwork just really spoke to my childhood memory.

 

Cute, huh? It wasn't surprising to see that it was written the same year as my birth. Well, the odd thing was, look at the address written just inside.

 

eerie! That town is 350 miles south of here and I haven't been there in 40 years. It's just a coincidence. Which, by the way; gets me no closer to that money. Anyone have experience with this kind of situation? I'd love to hear.

Here's my current favorite favorite quilt book.

 

Beginning with the cover, and continuing through almost every page that follows, OH this book just makes my eyes sing and my feet want to run out to the sewing machine. I want to make one of everything in this book. The way they've blended fun, funky and contemporary with traditional patterns and styles...it just fits me to a "T". If you google "Material Obsession" you'll get more pics and apparently100% agreement that it's an awesome book! And more good news; they're getting ready to release their second book!

Did you hear about Pimp This Bum on CNN today? Yeah, the address made me cringe, too. But that's exactly why they named it that. If you read up on what they're about, they state that if they'd called it HelpTheHomeless.com it would have been much more easily blown off. On CNN they showed a video of Tim's transformation--just from getting a haircut and putting on a nice shirt and tie, all of a sudden, right before our eyes, he seemed 'human' again. It's so easy to make such a big difference for others. I don't know why we aren't all doing more.

I'll close for today with this

 

I snapped this today for a few reasons. One; now that their hair is finally starting to grow back (they were shaved three weeks ago) I will admit publicly that I should never have been allowed to buy longhaired cats. People tried to warn me. Just like they tried to warn me about white carpet and a black car new off the lot (there's two warnings in the car, just so you know. New and Black. ) Do I ever listen? No. It gives me some solace to remember these things when getting frustrated because one of my children won't take my very best (unrequested) advice. :-) I also wanted to share that the thrift shop finally had a crocheted afghan that I felt like bringing home. Friends, I never go there without seeing a LOT of crocheted afghans. For $1.99. It makes me sad. People put a lot of time into those things! Just to get tossed in the give-away pile. Oh well, I can't save them all, but the patchwork pattern on this and the *lacey* border edge was unique enough to make me want to bring it home. Maybe now that I've adopted one I'll quit feeling guilty when I check through that rack for old fabric. Another thing worth bringing up is that I slipcovered that chair with a bedspread. You'd be surprised how easy it is to slipcover things. Well, the way I do it is easy anyway. Maybe some day I should do a little tutorial?

And OH MY GOD I have never bothered to claim an American Idol favorite but Adam Lambert is from a whole 'nother planet with his talent and professional performance skills. A couple weeks ago I said to John, "You know, if he'd ditch the Emo look, pull that hair out of his face, I think he'd be really handsome. Kinda reminds me of Dr Christian Troy on Nip/Tuck." Did you see him last night? I could watch that performance over and over. Honestly, in 8 seasons I haven't felt this strongly about a contestant. I'm not saying a couple others aren't good. That 16 year old redhead really rocked it. But Adam is the real deal!! And that's what I think about that. :-)

Back soon with a fun and funky new project that is taking longer than I thought it should but hopefully it'll be worth it!

Fill another cabinet: Check!

Geez Louise--I wonder if it's true, that whoever dies with the most fabric wins! (I guarantee you that's a contest I'll never win...someday I'll show pics of my mother's sewing room!) I spent whatever time I could over the past few days refolding and organizing "the good stuff".

 

I'm already wondering how I ever had it all in that one big cupboard. Well, I do love the new little cubby cupboard

 

and everything in it. Maybe too much, really. I don't want to use any of it. I've just let it become too *precious* in my mind. Stupid, I know. The lower cubbies are holding various projects that I'm going to try very hard to tackle one at a time. While getting more comfortable with the idea of using the stash.  I discovered that even tho it hasn't even been a year that I've had fabric out in the sunny new studio, there was already sunfading on the folds of many fabrics. My only other option is to pile them away in tubs and/or in a dark closet and then I really wouldn't ever use them. A couple of new etsy purchases I'd like to share. From an old online friend, Tina who is now making sweet little needle felts.

 

I purchased the little hillside lamb, and she sweetly made me the ladybug on a leaf ' just because'. Thanks again, Tina!

Here's the selvage bowl I grabbed from Kathi's shop the other day.

 

I see she has a new one listed as of today. I am so impressed with the work and the quality of this bowl. I have to say; I wouldn't make them for as cheaply as she sells them, but as long as they're worth it to her, then lucky us!

In the first pic above of the big green cupboard, right in the middle you'll see an overflowing blue bucket...those are the selvages I trimmed off just about every fabric that I refolded during the past several days. I've seen so many great ideas online, mostly via links from Selvage Blog , and I haven't yet thought up a new idea for using them, but there they will sit (while I more than likely overthink it.)

One other etsy purchase, from a couple of months ago but if you haven't already seen this gal's work you really should

Keep in mind, this is under 4 inches tall. The artist is Tammy Smith and her shop name is Homemade Circus. The whimsy as well as the quality of her work makes me want to buy several more pieces! 

Here's what's been in my machine for a few days:

Whenever I head a couple towns south of here to visit my friend Karen I drag her down to their local fabrics & crafts store. Last time we went this airport panel grabbed my attention. I suggested and she agreed that turning it into a floor quilt provided with little wooden cars would be a great gift for her grandson's first birthday this June. I'm proud to say I spent more than the usual 45 minutes machine quilting it. And I honestly do think that practice is leading to improvement, although my stitches are still very elementary. What I'm most excited about with this project are the planes and vehicles and buildings that Caleb and I found on our last visit to Daiso, the Japanese dollar store. It's actually the 100 yen store, but with the exchange rate most things are a dollar fifty. It's starting to look like we've made this bay area store a routine stop-over when we go visit my oldest daughter Erica in Monterey. Usually we just have the most fun buying all this plastic crap for very little money. I probably overbought for the airport quilt (you can see many other still bagged toys in the background) but... well, you know; they were only a dollar fifty each!

My Monday weight loss report: I just used the past hour writing this blog post rather than going to my WW meeting. I know by the bathroom scale that I didn't gain but didn't lose, either. I got a caloriecount.com email last week, on St. Patrick's day, for a "beautiful green velvet soup."  For reasons I can't begin to remember I made it. I think I wanted to offset all the Easter candy I'd been snarfing down. The soup consists of broccoli, zucchini, spinach, split peas and celery. And water. It was a very large batch and after boiling it for an hour I then had to small batch by small batch puree it in the blender. It was all I could do not to hurl, because that is exactly what it looked like. Now, every day when I microwave a cup (and listen to Caleb complain about how bad it stinks) I am reminded of the opening scene in Shrek where he's sitting in his *hot tub* and when he farts the bubbles go bluuurp up out of the 'water'. Yeah...it looks like that. Want the recipe? lol. I'll spare you the photo, but share this one with a thumbs up recommendation.

 

If you're like me protein is the best stabilizer for hunger attacks. Sometimes I just have to tear into a chicken breast RIGHT NOW! These are super low in sugar, really high in protein, and only three WW points. By the case at Costco around the pharmacy dept.

This ran long. Thanks for staying with me if you made it to here. More to share so I'll see you again soon! 

A day with the girls.

Thanks for the sweet comments yesterday about our new dress up cabinet. Kadence came over to check it out as soon as she could get her mom to drive her here

 

I think she liked it, too!

 

Then she got to come over again today. Madison and I picked her up from school and she spent a few hours here til her mom got off work.

 

Between you and me; I can't wrap my mind around how *Octomom* is going to care for 14 little ones. These two for an afternoon about wore me to a nubbin!

 

It seemed that for one to be happy, the other had to be unhappy.

     

Well, as in life; whether you're having fun or not, it goes by pretty fast. Kadence has gone home, Miss Madison Grumpy Pants is taking a much needed nap, and I'm going out to my private haven to do some mindless fabric folding.

 

I like the way the new cabinet came out! Didn't take a 'before' shot..it was brown and ugly with handlettered labels scotch taped all over. After cleaning off all the old bits of adhesive I just painted a couple of coats and added the scallop border on top (believe it or not; they had it and other wood trims in three foot runs at Michael's!) . 21 cubbies with a footprint of 9x11" each. I had a couple of plastic picnic *blanket*s  from Daiso that I cut up for shelf lining.  I should be able to fit a fair amount of fabric in there, don't you think? I'll let you know how it goes. :-)

have a happy weekend, and Happy Spring!

  our neighbor's tulip tree as seen out my studio window.

Yesterday's project

This is one of those pieces that I've had for ever and ever,  and have put to use in a variety of ways.

  (my thought to take a *before* shot was a little late)

Most recently it housed VHS tapes at Melissa's house, but as usual; when she was done with it she called me-- "Mom, would you come buy and pick this up?" I've been wanting to put together a little wardrobe station for the girls. At 3 1/2 Kadence just loves playing dress up, and I'm pretty sure Madison will, too. I pick up dresses when I come across them at the local thrift shops.  I spent the better part of yesterday refashioning this cabinet into a wardrobe and here's what I came up with

 

Sweet vintage wallpapers inside and out

 

How I figured to get those nailed in shelves out of there--I pulled out my trusty jigsaw, sliced through them on the short/front to back length, then just did kind of a karate chop to break them out. It's not perfect but I think they'll like it!

 

My next project is a wood cabinet with many cubby holes that I got at the thrift shop yesterday for $8.99. I hope to get it all cleaned up and filled with fabric soon. If it turns out well I'll share pics of that, too.

Hope you're enjoying early Spring weather wherever you are! :-)

It's a great day!

Lately my mail isn't delivered til as late as 5pm, but a box from Superbuzzy was sitting on my porch by 9 this morning! That, my friends, was enough of a sign for me that this was going to be a wonderful day. :-) When you click the what's new tab on their home page you'll find that the newest stuff added is first on the page so it's very easy to keep track and not miss anything.  Apparently I hadn't checked in a while because I had some catching up to do when I ordered last Thursday evening!

 

Ahhh. I may very well be addicted. Whenever I mention my love for "imported Japanese novelty fabrics" to quilters and sewers who aren't familiar they just wonder what in the heck am I doing with a bunch of kimono and bonsai prints? lol.

And now that I'm following The Selvage Blog, and seeing all the wonderful things people are creating with selvages, I'm obsessing over collecting them, too. (by the way, I ran right over to etsy and bought that bowl she shows on today's post, so don't go runnin' over there!)

 

It's a gray rainy day here but the heater's doing it's magic out in the studio and with any luck I'll be spending the rest of the day out there. The first thing I plan on finishing is this Roy Rogers quilt

 

This is the lower half. Once I got the front work done the blocks are a breeze to put together--did the top half last night in an hour. Three years ago I was out of town visiting a friend who's little boy loved (and still does) anything to do with Roy Rogers. Was the funniest thing to see this not quite three year old sit transfixed in front of a black and white tv program that he'd probably already seen several dozen times. I remember how he said (with the ghost of a pacifier in his mouth) "Deh Ebbins" for Dale Evans. Gosh he was cute. So we went into a fabulous quilt shop during our visit and they had this quilt hanging. We both loved it. My friend had never really sewed before but I convinced her that she could make this quilt for her boy. So we bought the fabric, cut it all up, and she pieced all the blocks. Then I left, and she got sidetracked, and they sat somewhere on a shelf all this time. I recently asked her to send them to me so we could get the darn thing finished before he graduates high school and was so pleased to see that I still like the fabrics AND that I could remember how they were supposed to go together. Randomly. LOL! Pretty easy to remember--random. ;-) Well, I can't imagine what we used for measuring when we cut and sewed them all that time ago but all 70 blocks had to be squared up before I ever could start sewing them last night. It makes me happy to be finishing this for them.

Nanette is always so generous with her pictures and ideas. She recently posted a quilt pic that made me run to the design table to finally use this United States fabric that I've had for several years.

 

These are what's left over after pulling enough for a full size quilt. Why did I have to not only cut them all, but also sort them by state (of which there are only 40 represented)? I don't know. Just being the nut that I am, I guess.

Here's exactly what I need to finish the quilt, including the red and white sashing strips.

 

It's a lot of up front work, but sure makes the process easier in the long run.  Here's where I'm at with it so far.

The States aren't standing out like I would have liked them to, but considering the state names are cut off (sewed into the seam) on half of them :-[ I'll just keep going the way I'm going. It is what it is, right?

So, if all that happiness wasn't enough ;-) today I earned another 5 pounds lost sticker. That's two down, six to go!! Definitely a good day. I hope yours is, too.

Take good care...   jen

One other thing

that I've listed in etsy... New button bouquets:

 

They're late because---no surprise; I'm a hardhead. I set these in plaster of paris so they don't roll around in the vase. I at first used clear glass vases. Didn't like seeing the plaster so I decopaged strips of pink tissue paper all over. Didn't like the clear/not so clear unevenness of that so painted a coat of pink paint. Then another. Still didn't like 'em much but left them alone for a few days. Asked John what could I do to make them look better? He said it was the wrong pink. So then I start painting all the vases white. All the while a voice in my head is yelling, "Just go get the darned vases you saw at Target!" Am so glad I did. :-) Some hammering later, I was able to retrieve the stems and start all over. Just another reminder that it ain't easy being me.

I also have some pretty groovy four inch alphabet sets listed.

 

As well as some two inch tall sets

 

I've already made two abc quilts and am quite sure there'll be more to come. They're awfully fun to make, and to display, too! 

How many of you think I hadn't posted yet this week 'cause I couldn't stand reporting another failure week at weight loss? HMMMM ?? That's okay...I would've thought the same thing. I'm glad Sharon is *making* us report every week...it really does help keep it in the front line of my priorities. I realized while sitting in the meeting on Monday that this is going to be like my AA...for the REST of my life. Every time I ever used Weight Watchers to lose the weight I'd leave 'em like yesterday's cold soup and get all cocky about "Now I can eat whatever I want! And since I'm so skinny, I don't think I'll exercise any more, either." And then, of course; the weight piles right back on plus some for good measure. I'm pretty sure I'm earning another 5 pound star next Monday. I started to berate myself for *only* losing a pound a week, but hey--that would be pretty huge in one short year!

I got to start my day with a big laugh. Kris is in my Google Reader and she linked us up to this video. Anyone who's ever been near children and childbirth will get a good "That's so True!" laugh out of it (Naughty language warning for my delicate-natured friends).

Most mornings I spend 44 minutes (who's counting? ME!) on the treadmill while watching yesterday's Oprah (fast forward through the commercials).. Today's (yesterday's) show had three celebrity chef's going into three homes where they were struggling with how to shop and cook healthy tasty food on a budget. Holy crap--one couple spent an average of $400 a week on take-out! Go here and if you click on the three different chef's names it'll take you to LOTS of yummy looking and affordable recipes. There were definitely some I'm going to try!

Speaking of "I'm definitely going to try this!" look at today's offering over at Moda Bake Shop.

 

I borrowed this pic off the website just to make SURE you head on over there. I can't think of a cuter way to use those jelly rolls that we all just HAD to HAVE!! Seriously, check their blog out often because there is no end to the creative and cute ideas.

Whew! Time to push offa this computer. Right before I came here to post I put some new sewing goodness up on etsy. You can see the little thumbnails in the top of the left sidebar, or just click here and check me out! :-)

Have I become "a quilter"?

I've always liked thinking I dabble in a bit of everything, but I can't remember the last time I shared anything other than a quilt or something from the sewing machine. Seems at least since I moved in to the new studio last Spring. Ah well...while the ideas are running freely I'm just gonna go with it. And Lord knows; I'm in good company!

I made a fair contribution to my stockpile of baby quilts this weekend. I have always liked these flannel *rag* quilts

 

Between ALL that snipsnipsnipping of the seams and having to do the initial wash and dry at the laundromat, I'm thinking not much profit would be made if and when I get around to selling, but so far I'm always glad to have one on hand for gifting. I recently had a pretty good idea for using my hoarded vintage flannels. I cut them into four inch squares and sew them down onto a six inch solid color flannel like this

 

even more labor intensive than the first pattern, but it stretches the little bits and adds to the shabby/raggy charm I think. I like to checkerboard the backs with a combination of minky and flannel like this

THEN, on Friday,  I came across this wonderful pattern at Quilt Taffy, and had to make it that very night! (and finally take these all to the laundromat today).

I wanted to use the vintage western flannels for a VINTAGE ONLY friend who is having a boy this summer. I only have little scrips and scraps so this pattern was perfect. THANKS Corrie and Des!!

Talk about hoarding...I never thought I'd use these sweet panels from Yuwa that I bought last year.

 If pressed to state my favorite thing about the Japanese novelty fabrics...well; it's hard to pick just one thing. I love the colors so much. And the patterns. But the literal translations of English just slay me sometimes.

 

How can you not smile upon seeing that? I had so much fun actually using those *precious* fabrics that I went right ahead and used the rest of them in this

 This one's all sandwiched together, ready for machine quilting. I'll be cutting another raw edged scallop border in the outermost blue stripe border. Hey--it's workin' for me so I'm going with it. :-) And finally, I saw that I had this already cut out and ready to go in a UFO basket, so I sewed it up thinking maybe I'll put kits together for the sale at our Guild meeting this Thursday.

 

Maybe it'd be better on etsy for novice quilters. hmmmm.... So I've got some finishing still to do but I got a lot done, too!

My weight report is rather comical. Going back to four weeks ago; I gained just over half a pound, then two weeks later I gained another half a pound, then today I finally realized a loss of 1.2 pounds, putting me to the ounce where I was four weeks ago. pffft. I've got some catching up to do!!

I'll close with a recent snap of Madison, who is starting to look less like a baby and more like a girl.

 

I think what I may have liked most about this pic is the shirt she's wearing :-)

That's all for now folks. Have a good week, and Happy Chewing Gum!!!