May Craft Day...

Saturday Crafters  l-r: Adrienne, me, Linda K, Nancy (Adrienne's future mother-in-law), and Marie.

I really enjoyed our project last Saturday in Portage. These gorgeous "baskets" began life as cereal boxes! First, we cut away one long side, and then sealed up the open top. Once that was done, it was time to brave the hot glue guns and start attaching the jute cord.

 

I placed my Corgi hot pad in the basket to give you an idea of size. He's so cute! The jute was then embellished. Marie was our project leader, and hers had sparkling buttons/pins in the center of her doilies. I decided to wait to embellish mine until I got back home.

 

Once I was back home, I went through my embellishments and chose these three buttons for mine. I'm very happy with the way it turned out. The jute actually weighted the boxes and they were quite stable when finished.

 

 

Marie actually made a second one, and I love it so much, I'm going to do another for Independence Day. She left the back unpainted, but I may paint all the way around with a flag on each side. What do you think? I'm the leader for the June get together. Now to decide what to make!

 

And, Now We Wait…

Thanks to our trusty John Deere yard tractor, all the planting beds are filled. It took all afternoon, and now I’m just hoping the wildlife leaves my plants alone until I can fence everything in. 

I’m off to Portage for our monthly play date. I’ll have photos of our creations on Monday. I hope you have a restful Memorial Weekend. 

December Craft Day...

We had another great time crafting together in Portage last Saturday. It was my turn to lead the project, and this is the collective result of our "play date".

Kim couldn't be with us that day, as her younger daughter also celebrated a Birthday on the 3rd. Her elder daughter stayed with her Grandma Marie, so she was with us and made two projects! She jumped right in and got very creative. I blurred out the bottom of the first piece for privacy, as she had written her family name on the bottom. 

I absolutely loved the piece (Grandma) Marie created! The cross was so beautiful done in this technique, and really looked like a piece of jewelry.

Adrienne's piece was whimsical and fun. She chose bright colors on the watercolor paper, and then added a mixture of stones on the bottom. I love it!

My dear friend, Linda - the matriarch of this group - chose greens and yellows for her piece. We were all tickled, as she usually leans to the patriotic red, white and blue. This was a lovely change of pace, with a pretty finished artwork.

Debby chose to paint a dreamy background, and then went with an abstract design for the raised elements. It reminds me of a desert scene, with a sparkling caterpillar standing up. 

Sorry that the one piece on the left is so washed out. I guess it just blinded the camera. (lol) The piece on the right was the display piece that I took with me. The other one is the piece I did to teach them the technique. 

All in all, the ladies agreed that this was a new-to-them, fun project. Adrienne's daughter came in after the fact, wanting to learn how, too. Unfortunately, we had to pack up because most of the ladies had plans for the afternoon. Grandma Marie (hers, too) promised to teach her another time.

I was home by 2, and celebrated my Birthday here at Hickory Hill. I spent a little time visiting with Shelly, too. It was a perfect day.

My Turn To Teach Today...

I'm the teacher for this month's craft project with my girlfriends in Portage. This is my sample piece. I love doing these because the end result is a lot of bang for the buck.

Using a few simple components and your imagination, the final piece can be mounted to the top of a wooden (or cigar) box, sit on an easel or in a frame, or become part of a multi-piece display. 

I've been thinking about doing this as a video class online, but I'm wondering if there would be any interest. Class fee would be nominal, and I could either charge a kit fee (to mail) or people could gather their own supplies from a class list.

Leave a comment below if you'd be interested in taking a class after the holidays. I have to get on the road, now though. I don't want to be late today. It's going to be fun spending part of my Birthday with friends I love so much! See you tomorrow.

September Craft Day and Tea...

 

 

Saturday was another fun craft day in Portage with my girlfriends. Some of us made more than one project, as we'd missed last month's get together. Adrienne isn't in the photograph because she was occupied with getting ready for our post-crafting tea. Deb couldn't make it, and we surely missed her quick wit and sense of humor.

 

 

 

I didn't make it to Portage in August because that weekend was our daughter-in-law's dad's Celebration of Life. He was a lovely man, so we wanted to be there to pay our respects.

 

So, I did two projects on Saturday. The acorn was my rendition of last month's project, and the little hanger on the right was this month's project. We could choose from pumpkins, maple leaves or acorn shaped wood pieces. Are you surprised in the least that I picked an acorn for my project?

 

I chose shimmering blues and green paints for the door hanger, so they'll sparkle in the sunlight. I even painted my beads for this one.

 

 

Adrienne put out quite the spread for our tea. There were finger sandwiches, the scones I contributed, and lots of pastries! I behaved myself, only choosing a few items with no seconds. Kim left as soon as the sweets appeared as she's on a diet. So are Marie and I, but we're allowed anything in moderation (and we're on the same plan!).

 

 

Adrienne was standing with the kiddos when I took these photographs, but she soon joined the ladies at the big kids table and left these three on their own. During cleanup, we discovered that these scamps added enough sugar to their tea that they'd managed to nearly empty the sugar bowl! I pity Adrienne and Kim once that sugar rush kicked in! (I was well on my way home before that happened.)

 

All in all it was another fun day. I'm in charge of October's project. We'll be meeting toward the end of the month, so I'll be cleared by the surgeon by then. I can't wait to show you what I have planned for our gathering. I think they'll enjoy it!

 

Tag will see you tomorrow, and I'll be back on Wednesday with more of my Winter Song project photos to share. See you then!

July Craft Day...

Another creative Saturday spent in Portage with my crafty friends. This time we had two fun projects. This was Marie's turn. Our first one was a "cut and repurpose cowl from a t-shirt" project.

Cut a 12-15" tube of fabric from the t-shirt by laying the t-shirt flat on a cutting surface. Cut across the shirt below the sleeve opening, through both layers of the shirt. Then cut again across the shirt above the hemline (about 12-15" between the top and bottom of this tube you're creating). From there, you refold the tube, matching the seams from the shirt and cut a series of slits into what will become the front sections, shortening the cuts as you work toward the seam. Instructions said to only cut the slits about half way to the seam so, as you can see in the photographs, the back half, plus part of the front won't have slits cut into them.

Once the cutting is completed, stretch the fringe, add pony beads of your choice and tie a knot in the individual fringe pieces to hold the beads in place. That's it! Pretty simple, right?

The second project was to create a shabby boutonierre from old jewelry, lace and doilies, ribbons and other fabrics. They all had pin backs on them to wear or attach to something else. We had so much fun giggling, telling stories, and generally catching up while we played. Truly food for the soul.

Linda II is new to the group. She's my girlfriend, Linda's sister-in-law. She really got into it and created some beautiful things. Linda will be back again, too. She came along with Linda's niece who was visiting from Georgia. 

The last time I'd seen her, she was a little girl. Now she's all grown up, with four children of her own! I believe she's already headed home, so we won't see her again until she comes back north to visit.

All in all, another great day was had by all. I had an easy drive there and back, stopping at a roadside vegetable stand to pick up some produce on my way home. I bought tomatoes because I realized that we were out of salsa (oh, the horror!), so I'm going to make and can those today while it's a little cooler outside. 

I'm also baking bread for a barter with a neighbor up the highway. She planted waaay too many beets, zucchini, and pickles for her and her partner, so she offered them to me. I suggested bartering homemade bread and she jumped at the deal! Guess how I'll spend the rest of my week? lol

I'd better get started on the bread. I'm going to pick up all the vegetables later today, so I want to take this batch of loaves with me. (I'll offer her another four loaves next week when I bake again.) Tag will be back tomorrow, so I'll see you again on Wednesday!

Isn't This Dreamy?...

 

 

While scrolling through Instagram for inspiration a few days ago, I came across this image from @designermumetc. I've been searching for new stock tanks in the taller versions for my raised bed garden planned for next year, and saw this soaking pool created using a round one. They're actually all the rage right now. Did you know? Stock tanks of all types are scarce, too, because I'm not the only one who wanted to have a home garden. People have already beat me to the punch, and now I'm looking all over for them.

 

I worked outdoors yesterday. Remember I told you that we neglected to put down weed barrier when the handmen helped weed our terrace flower beds. When it's not too hot outside, I've been raking back the mulch, pulling weeds, and then rolling out barrier. Then I rake the mulch back over the top. So far, I'm about half finished. The dang thistles will be the death of me. (Not really. I'm being overly dramatic for effect. lol)

 

I pulled weeds and laid barrier for a few hours, until the sun was so hot I needed to stop. I don't fret about burning this time of year. I've been exposed enough by now, and thanks to Dad, I have a darker skin tone than my fair-skinned mum. But, I also inherited his propensity for perspiration. My glasses and clothes get drenched, and finally I cry "uncle", and give in.

 

According to my Noom app, my step goal for yesterday was 5,000 steps. That's a bump up from the day before, because I've been surpassing my previous days' goals. By bedtime, I'd walked 8,144 steps. That's comparable to 3.5 miles! Yay, me!

Needless to say, it would have been nice to hop into a nice, cool pool like the one above to counteract the heat of the day. I'm pretty sure the dogs and Handsome would like it, too. I'm not giving up. I think this is still doable. 

I'm heading over to Portage for this month's craft day today. I have no idea what the project is, but I'm sure it will be fun just being with dear friends. I'll share our creations on Monday. I'm going to grab a quick breakfast and take my coffee with me. Gotta fly! Later, my dears...

. 

I’m just sharing two photos from Craft Day with you this time - our group photo, and one of all the completed projects. 

It was nice to see everyone, considering the sad event that  brought us all together earlier this month. There was a lot of love in the house Saturday, as we tried to give Adrienne a normal day, even if for a short time. 

It was Kim’s turn again to choose our project this time. She has a Glow Forge, which laser cuts just about anything. She cut wood pieces that formed the stripes, the field of stars, and the “Welcome”. 

We each chose the colors, painting and then gluing the elements together to create our finished pieces. Some added hangers, and some added ribbons. I decided to think on that for a while, so I stopped with my assembly, and will decide later whether or not to add more.

It rained the entire time we were together, and the rain followed me home. It was a much-needed soaking for the plants and crops. 

Tag will be here tomorrow. I’m ready for a cup of coffee, and then it’s time to bake bread. I’ll be back Wednesday to tell you about the rest of my weekend  

 

Craft Day Creations…

More Crafted Hoops (l-r: me, Linda, Deb, Marie, Kim, & Adrienne)

Saturday was another craft day in Portage. The weather was perfect for the drive over and back, and we had another fun day.

Adrienne had seen some other great hoop ideas, and we had hoops left over from last time, so we all got busy.

Deb, Cutting Up With Her Piece

I’ve known Deb (nickname “Derby”) since she dated Linda’s son decades ago. Like me with Mom Grace, Linda and Deb have remained close, even after her son broke up with his girlfriend. I’m sharing this picture of Deb because it perfectly captures her personality. I loved Deb years ago, and I love her still.

I left my hoop a bit understated because my plan is to add a goldwork insect to it in the near future. Perhaps it will be a ladybug, or just a small gold bug. I’ll decide when I’m ready to work on it.

I’m in charge of next month’s project. I already know what it will be, but you’ll have to wait to find out what we’ll be creating until the reveal photographs. 

I also made great progress on my Floral Wreath piece. More on that Wednesday. Tag will visit with you tomorrow. 

A Little More...

Updated Progress On My Goldwork Floral Wreath

I’m off to Portage this morning for the monthly craft group, but I wanted to share my progress on the goldwork wreath. I love how it’s coming together. 

I’ll have photos from today’s craft project on Monday, and more of this piece, too! I can see real progress now. I may do a short video to show you how these elements are created sometime next week, too. 

For now, I’ve got to run. Playtime in Portage with my dear friends awaits!

Girls’ Weekend...

Saturday Craft Group

I drove to Portage on Saturday for another play date with dear friends. This month was Marie’s (she’s to the right of me in the photo) turn to decide the project. We made wall pockets. 

To create the wall pockets we began with large embroidery hoops, selected the fabrics we wanted to use, and then added embellishments. 

We were all finished in three hours, and you can see the results. Each project turned out reflecting each creator’s personality perfectly...and we had fun visiting at the same time! We’re already looking forward to next month!

High School Friends

Sunday was an outing to a local goat farm/creamery with a group of friends from high school. Many of us work together on the class reunion committee. 

The creamery had a Wine/Cheese/Chocolate pairing event. While the taste testing was enjoyable, it was really catching up with the ladies that was most fun. 

I got home mid-afternoon and spent the rest of the day catching my breath. We have a lot scheduled for this week, so I just enjoyed the rest of the weekend with Handsome and the critters. 

I have orders to prepare and mail today, and then more office work to do. Yippee. (Snort)

Crafting Day...

My Heart-Framed, Embroidered Flowers

I'm heading back to Portage (WI) today for another craft day with my girlfriends. I'm have no idea what this month's project will be, but I'm anxious to find out. I'll just grab my travel mug and be on my way. See you Monday with the results!

Craft Day -

Five Crafters - Five Finished Projects!

Oh, my gosh! I had so much fun Saturday. I drove an hour and a half to Portage to meet up with my dear friend, Linda and her family. We first met in 1976, when I became friends with her, her husband, sons and daughter, Marie. I stood in Marie's wedding, and later became friends with her daughter, Adrienne. When I arrived at their home on Saturday, Adrienne's daughter - Linda's great-granddaughter, Annabelle - came running to give me a big hug. Now I'm getting to know extended family better, too. This weekend, I got to spend more time with Marie's daughter-in-law, Misty.

Our project was to decorate four precut, sanded, and pre-stained blocks with specialty papers, vinyl letters and other embellishments. We chose our fabric themes, and then decoupaged them to our set of blocks. A blow dryer was brought into service to make sure the adhesive and coating were completely dry before proceeding with the rest of our project.

Once our letters were adhered to the blocks, we sifted through Marie, Adrienne and Misty's copious collections of embellishments to finish our decorating. We were all done around noon and then took photographs of each of us proudly standing with our own sets of blocks. Can you guess which set is mine? (Keep scrolling to find out.)

Dear Friend, Linda (wearing her gorgeous, handknit sweater!)

 

Linda's daughter, Marie with her beautiful blocks

Marie's Daughter, Adrienne with her vibrant blocks

Marie's daughter-in-law, Misty with her Valentine blocks (and son!)

Me, with my farmhouse-themed blocks

I chose papers that have a beautiful, little bird with nest and eggs on the "L" block; a paper flower on the "O" block; morning glory paper on the "V" block ; and a laser-cut wooden bird on the "E" block. I chose muted papers that reminded me of the farmhouse. Marie had quite the paper assortments, as evidenced by the variety of finished blocks.

I love seeing the personalities of each of my friends shine through in the elements chosen for their block sets. Even more, I loved seeing my friends again, and we've agreed to do a new project together once a month. As soon as the weather warms up, the ladies will come to the farmhouse to play, too. We've missed each other, and this is the perfect excuse to make sure it's not so long between visits. I'm already looking forward to the next one.

Aren't These Cute?...

Brynwood Needleworks via Facebook - Glasses Case Needlework Kit

I found these on Facebook last week. They're all needlework kits created from glasses cases. Aren't they cute? Imaging how portable they'd be, too.

Brynwood Needleworks via Facebook - Glasses Case Sewing KitAdd caption

I may have to try making a few one of these days. They'd make great gifts for holiday gift exchanges for crafty friends.

Brynwood Needleworks via Facebook - Glasses Case Sewing Kit

What do you think? Could you find a use for one of these? Would you make one for a friend or yourself?