Mystery Project Completed!

I recently completed my "mystery project" that I had teased you about in a couple of my past posts.

I am a huge "green" supporter, so I am always looking for ways to re-use and recycle various items. Nothing hits my circular file without getting the "creative possiblity" test first. So I recently emptied this oats container (the large size) and tried to come up with a practical and decorative re-use for it. Well . . . . . .

what do ya think?

I designed this little sewing tote using the empty oats container. I used various scraps of fabrics to create the bag and the yoyo flowers and leaves. The buttons were used for the flower centers. I lined the top portion and made a casing for the ribbon drawstrings.

This is not only decorative, but it is also useful!

Once I completed the project, of course my brain started buzzing about other ideas for this type of project. So far, I came up with a "My Bingo" bag, a "button, button, who's got the button" bag, "My Paint Brushes" bag, a "From our house to yours" homemade gift cookie container, or just a plain and decorative container to hold recycled plastic grocery bags. I guess the possibilities are endless. Please let me know if you have any fun ideas.

Happy Crafting!

Whatcha Working on Wednesday

Today I am listing several projects that I plan to start, or I am already working on. I can't just focus on one thing at a time, I have to have multiple things going on all over the place!

First of all, I completed my wool applique table runner pictured below. I am very happy with the way it turned out. The colors are warm and rich.

As I explained in last week's WWW, I plan to start working on Fall themed projects in preparation for upcoming fairs that I will participate in.

Pictured below is a picture/pattern designed by Heather Waldron from "Patchwork & Stitching" (Australian magazine), Volume 9, Num. 1.
I plan to work this up with the fall colored prints I have selected below, of course they are Thimbleberries! I plan to revise the project slightly by changing the word "Daisy" to "Autumn Blessings", and I will change the daisy flowers to maple leaves and sunflowers. For a hanger, I plan to hit the woods and find the perfect branch to hang it from.

Below is an old wooden box that my husband used for nails. It was destined for the burn pile, along with another larger box and some rough boards. I rescued them before my husband noticed. So far, I have painted the box black. I will distress it and probably make a fall themed wool drape to hang over the front. I will add a potted mum and some bittersweet vines and sell it as a decorative fall arrangement.


Below are the cut up rough boards that I rescued. I grabbed them because I loved the rough nature of the wood and thought they would be great for small signs. I traced the lettering on each of them and just need to paint, distress and wire them. You can't see the words very well in this photo. The top one says "primitives', the second one says "woolens", but the O's will be small wool sheep or pennies. The third one says "country" and the last one says "welcome". I offset the "welcome" so I can attach a rusty star or a wool penny pineapple next to it.



Finally, I have not yet begun my mystery project that I pictured last week. I guess I should start that before my autumn projects just to end the suspense.

To see what others are up to today, head over to Leslie's blog, "My Country Home".

Completed Table Runner

Pictured below is my completed table runner that I posted last week for "Whatcha Working on Wednesday". I think it came out rather cute. Now I have to decide which shop I will consign it in. I think I will get out some autumn colors and do a couple runners that say "Autumn Blessings". I have a couple of fall fairs that I participate in, so now is the time to start building up my inventory for those.

Next, I will begin working on my mystery project that I also posted last week. Any idea what this will become? That's OK. I don't even know what it will transform into yet!

Don't Throw That Away!

Once upon a time, there was a couple that lived in a house that they built over 25 years ago. Residing in the basement was an old woodstove that was not in use. It wasn't a nice air-tight stove, just a plain, "ho-hum" stove. When the lady of the house (me) decided that she wanted to renovate the basement into her crafting studio, she kept stumbling over the old woodstove that seemed to always be in the way. The lady asked her husband how much it was worth and he said "not much". So she asked him to please list it on Craig's List for sale. When he didn't do that, the lady asked him to put it out at the curb with a "free" sign on it. When he didn't do that, she became a bit frustrated because she wanted it out of the basement.

A bit of time passed and the lady of the house happened to come up with an idea for the woodstove. Around the second weekend in May, the man asked the lady what she wanted for Mother's Day. She replied "I'm not your mother, but I would love a woodstove planter". "What?" I explained that I wanted to put the woodstove out in my garden and use it for a planter. He said "No way! I don't want that piece of junk in the yard!"

A couple more weeks passed and it was the lady's birthday. The man asked her what she wanted for her birthday. After thinking for a moment, she replied "Hmmmmm.....I would love a woodstove planter". He chuckled.

Anyway, I ended up having a very happy birthday!

Go Red Sox!

My husband Chuck, and I had a great time at the Red Sox game last night. It was a beautiful evening for a game and of course, we won! Go Sox!!!!!

Whatcha Working on Wednesday

Today will be a beautiful day . . . a gift! The forcast is clear blue sky with the temperature between 75 and 80. My plan is to spend most of the day outside working in the yard, prettying up my gardens. At 4:00 I will come in to shower and get ready for the Red Sox game that hubby and I have tickets for tonight. I can't wait!

I probably won't do any crafting today, but I will share what I have in progress and also something in the planning stage. Below is a photo of another table runner that I am designing to sell on consignment. It is simple patchwork using Thimbleberries fabrics. The oval in the center says "Country blessings" which I will embroider with black cotton perle. The circle shapes you see are for yoyo flowers that will be attached with button centers. I will applique the leaves among them. The project will be completed with backing and binding.

I live in a rural area in southern New Hampshire and there are several farms around. Not too far from my home is a sheep farm that produces various wool products and also sells meat. Occasionally I stop in to see what's available for wool offerings. In the past I have purchased wool roving, sheep curls, a sheep blanket and yarn for my craft projects.

I recently came up with an idea to knit some "thumbless" mittens with 100% wool, then wash them in hot water to shrink and felt them. My plan is to make little ornaments with the felted results (hopefully it will work). I thought I would applique wool hearts and stars them, attach buttons and a wire hanger, stuff with greens and maybe a little snowman, and sell them as ornaments. Last year I created a club called "Trim ~ A ~ Limb" Ornament Club. I will explain more about the club next week when I have more time.

Below is the wool applique and patchwork table runner that I pictured earlier. All of the blanket stitching is complete. I just have the backing and binding to do. I laid it out on my couch to photograph it, and it looked pretty cool there. So now I am thinking I may have to design a patchwork and wool drape for the back of my couch! Oh my...........



Any clue? Wait and watch!

"A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, nor a garden without love"

This is one of my roses that I photographed yesterday.

I hear my garden calling me . . . have a wonderful Wednesday!

Completed Projects to Consign

This past week proved to be a productive one for me. I had several unfinished projects waiting to be completed, so I tackled them one by one. Today I will take each one to Log Cabin Antiques to consign in my friend Lynn's shop.

The first item pictured below is a mini table runner that I designed. It is made from homespun fabrics and I used bits and pieces of wool for the cat and the flowers.

Pictured below is a pillow that I completed with the help of my friend, Sue.

Sue is an avid cross-stitcher and her work is beautiful. I asked Sue if she would be interested in doing some "joint" projects with me. I love the look of counted cross-stitch, but I don't have the time to devote to it, so Sue agreed to produce some small projects for me to use to create pillows to sell. She has made several small images for me to work with. This is the first one that I have completed. We will split the profit as each item sells. (Thanks Sue!)

The next two pictures are patchwork pillows that I made. I saw the "Home" image on a greeting card somewhere and decided to embroider it on a pillow using wool and/or yoyo flowers for the "O" in home.

I finally completed a set of four crocheted coasters to sell.

RED SOX NATION

About a month ago, my first-born grandson, Adam, came to visit with his family. To my surprise, we were dressed exactly alike that day.

We both boasted our "Red Sox" shirts . . . . . and check out our blue jeans - - - we each have a rather large hole in the knee. This was too funny so I had Grampa take a photo of us!

Adam and I are both huge Red Sox fans and Adam is an even bigger NASCAR fan, with Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson as his idols.

Whatcha Working on Wednesday

Today I will be making a special trip to Hooksett to put these items into a shop where I consign, Primitive Gatherings. I usually try to complete five or six items a month to bring there. My things sell quite well there and I have begun to develop a following.

Yesterday I laid out this wool applique table runner that I will be working on. I made three patchwork runners with Thimbleberries fabrics. The first one I appliqued snowmen at each end and that sold last winter. For this one, I just began cutting flower and leaf shapes from newspaper and then jumped right into my wool stash for bits and pieces to make the blooms. I have the design all pinned and ready to blanket stitch to the runner. Also pictured is more crocheted coasters that I am making from a skein of Red Heart Luster Sheen. So far I have five made. I hope to get eight from the skein so I can sell two 4-coaster sets.




To see what others are working on today, check out Leslie's blog, "My Country Home" for a peek.