Multi-material pillow

Today I completed this pillow using various materials and my own design. As you will notice, I had one of my crocheted doilies left over. Using Thimbleberries fabrics, I made a simple 4-square patchwork base for the pillow cover. I extended the cover to allow for a button closure. Next, I cut from wool a flower shape to match my doily that I overlaid on the wool applique. The center of the flower is actually a rug-hooked circle using this funky black/brown fuzzy yarn. I simply tacked it on with needle and thread.

Accompanying the pillow is a beautiful crocheted cotton lap robe that my mom made me for Christmas. She used a pattern that makes these squares with raised flowers in the center. She had some left over from a large afgan she made for my daughter's wedding gift last July.

Whatcha Working on Wednesday

Today I am showing off "Pennies and Posies" that I finally finished! I decided to mount it into an old wooden square platter that I painted black and distressed. I attached a picture hanger on the back so it can be hung on the wall or a door.

Another project that I have "in progress" is a baby quilt that I started several months ago for my granddaughter, Norah. I really want to get this finished for her crib. I selected various pinks, greens and off-whites for the patchwork. At the top I attached a muslin band and embroidered Norah's name and embellished it with embroidered vines, yoyo flowers and silk rosebuds. I also embroidered "Made by Grammy's loving hands" in the upper right hand corner. I need to finish tying the quilt and do the binding around the edge. Please click on the image to view the stitching detail.

Here is a closer view of the stitching and personalization detail.

And here is the "star" of the quilt, my precious little granddaughter, Norah!

To see what others are working on this Wednesday, head on over to Leslies blog, "My Country Home" .

Mug Rugz and Mug Matz

Today I am happy to share pics of my latest creations: mug rugz and mug matz.

I have an extensive wool collection that includes many recycled clothing items and some new wool, some of it hand-dyed.

I am always trying to think of unique ways to use my stash. I keep a supply of magazines in my "reading room" to poke through for ideas when I am there. I have seen candle hugs made from wool and wool coasters, but I had never seen any wool mug rugz. So I got out my recycled paper, pencil and scissors and doodled a few shapes and cut them out of wool scraps. Below are pictures of the ones I have designed so far. Some of them are similar to the candle mats I designed and pictured in an earlier post. To date, I think most of them have sold already. I consign them them in a couple of antique shops.

These pictures below are mug matz that I just completed today. They are made from bits and pieces of Thimbleberries cast-offs from other projects. Each one is hand-pieced, log cabin style, and features a little hand-embroidery design. Please click on the image to see the detail close up. I will make more of these as time permits. I have a picnic basket full of small scraps to use for projects such as this.

Whatcha Working on Wednesday

Today is a busy day for me so I am only posting one project in progress. This is my needle punched "Pennies and Posies" that I have shown in the two previous weeks. I finally completed the mini rug, and now I need to create an artful piece using it.

In my stash of yard sale and thrift shop finds, I dug out this wooden tray. I think I will paint and distress the piece, then using the wool pictured above, I will make some pennies to attach to the rug and mount the works in the tray somehow.

I hope to complete the project this week. Please check back for a photo to see what comes about.

I loved my design so much while I was punching the rug, that I have decided to enlarge it for a wool appliqued pillow, and possibly a hooked rug. I just love the country colors.

If anyone is interested in obtaining a photocopy of my design (no charge), please send me an email with your name and address and I'll be happy to share it with you!

To see what others are working on this beautiful Wednesday, check out Leslie's blog, "My Country Home".

Thank you, Mom!

You give beauty and meaning to the word "Mom".

I honor you for all you do . . . your encouragement, caring, sharing, endless praise and most of all, your love.

It's your day . . . enjoy, and know that you are loved so much.

Love,

Deb

I am pleased to introduce my Mom, Janet. God bless all you Moms and Grandmoms on your special day!

Thyme for Gardening

This morning when I woke up it was a glorious day! The sky was vivid blue and crystal clear.....the birds were singing.....the air was pure and sweet smelling. I thought to myself, "what a beautiful gift from God".

I was so inspired this morning that I got excited (finally) about doing some gardening this weekend.....but I made the mistake of listening to the weather report. The forecast is clouds and showers for the entire weekend. As I sit here right now, after lunch, the clouds are rolling in for forecasted showers tonight. I am waiting for my granddaughter Norah to awake from her afternoon nap so we can go for a walk before the raindrops arrive.

Below, I am sharing some of my photos of a garden vignette that I created last year. I purchased a few old, rusted pieces from my friend's antique shop, "Log Cabin Antiques". I love to use "olde junque" as artistic pieces among the beautiful blooms of planted annuals.

I created this verse for the garden and painted it on an old piece of wood. I hung it using rusty wire to match the rusty old crib rails that it hangs from.

I had purchased this old box with a lid that someone had attached hardware cloth to. I tucked a potted annual into an old rusty flower sifter and set it inside the box. I also planted an ivy in an old rusty funnel and hung it from the left side of the box. I just love old junque!

"Tickle it with a hoe and it will laugh itself into a garden"

Whatcha Working on Wednesday

Last week, I pictured several doilies that I had crocheted over the previous weekend. I put my thinking cap on and came up with a couple of ideas for how to use them. Pictured below is a candle mat completed with a tea-stained doily attached to black wool.

These two candle mats below are a simple patchwork design using my favorite Thimbleberries fabrics. One of the doilies is a vintage one from my collection.

Another project that I pictured (incomplete) last week was a slate. I have completed "Rise -n- Shine" below. I used acrylic paints to complete the simple rooster silhouette. I finished it with a coat of matte varnish so it can hang outside.

For the third week in a row I am picturing my partially completed needle punch project, "Pennies and Posies". It is about 75% complete. I still haven't decided how I will design it into a completed project. I have several ideas I'm considering, but can't decide yet!

Another project using one of my doilies is this one mounted to a band box. I painted the base of the box black and distressed it a bit. Then I mounted the doily to a wool-on-wool circle with a wool center to create a flower for the box top. I just have to trim out the rim of the lid with either a strip of black wool or some 1" black grosgrain ribbon. I'll see what I have in my supplies.

To see what other creative friends are working on for "Whatcha Working on Wednesday", visit Leslie's blog at "My Country Home".

Happy Birthday, Sis!

Today is May Day, and it is also a special day for my sister, Patti. It is her birthday.

As I sit here writing, I am thinking back to our childhood days when we would go to the store with our mother and buy yarn and fabric to start new projects at home. Mom and Grammy taught us so much when we were young girls. We used to make our own clothes for school and we'd make afgans, mittens and scarfs with the yarn we bought. Did we ever really finish any of our afgans we started? Remember the yellow, white and purple granny square one we started for our bedroom? I have so many wonderful memories of times I spent growing up with my sister.

Today she lives in southwest Florida and I am way up here in southern New Hampshire. Patti, I am missing you today . . . . as you celebrate your 5?th birthday, think of me and know that you are loved!

Hugs,

Deb

Check out my sister's blog, "Wild Berry Primitives" to see the things she is creating (and finishing) today. She is very talented!