First Post Card Swap

I recently participated in my first ever fiber postcard exchange. Vicki from 3 Creative Studios organized it and it was so much fun. I enjoyed creating my postcards and receiving these wonderful creations in the mail. There were two groups so to see all the cards check out the photos are flick river.
I tried out two other designs before I settled on my final set of cards to mail out. The inspiration word was "Guilded" or "Guilded Age". I immediately thought of the Canadian  book "Bird in a Gilded Cage" and also the many paintings and sayings depicting the same saying. Hence my first card.
Then I thought of simply a cut and past look of a color scheme including some golden tones. I then did some research into the Gilded Age and discovered how the domestic sewing machine had a big impact on the lives of women. So I  finally settled on something that was fitting with the style I have been using most often, including some bits of nature. I chose some yellow petals to fit in between the pieced work and some tulle. This was my tribute to the domestic sewing machine. It made it's first big impact what back before and during the Gilded Age but it has come a long way and it's use has expanded way beyond what I'm sure those in Gilded Age ever imagined.
Cut out my patterns.

   Press, stitch and trim.
Cut out and add some tulle.
  Stitch, add some petals.
Over to my old Bernina 830 where I don't worry about bits of petals etc getting into the machine. I load up the bobbin with gold thread (for Guilded) and do some stitching from the back side.
What do you do at the corners? Anything? I've started making a tiny trim at each corner. I think it helps me finish those corners a little better. Or maybe that's just my wishful thinking.
My finished cards and I had some scraps left over to make a couple ATC's. Thanks Vicki and everyone who participated in this fun swap!
PS I'm sorry about the first photo - Vicki's "All Aboard" card was supposed to be horizontal in the first row. The train is headed down a 90 degree hill the way I have it!

Holiday Time - Fun Stuff - In and From the Sewing Room

 These cute little red fruit are from our coontie plant. I had hoped they were edible but apparently not. I found an article that says 'the coontie may be the most primitive plant on earth'. so I displayed them in my 'primitive' wagon dish, from my last glaze firing. 

 

Holidays and cold weather always makes me want to spent time sewing. Elle's post about making bookmarks from her scraps prompted me to dig out some scraps and get busy. The bookmarks weren't totally scraps; I used some fresh fat quarters but the postcard and ATC were sure made from scraps!  I also added some flower petals and lavender to the postcard.

Then for some more gift wrapping. This is how I reused one of those boxes whose advertising on it definitely does not make it a gift box. I used Wonder Under to cover the box with a floral I had bought for a dress a few years ago only to realize quickly that I liked the fabric but to wear it. But it makes a fun Florida Christmas box.

 This is a nifty little cutting tool I don't use often but it is handy at times.

 Nicolas isn't too excited about the holidays yet ..... but I hope you're enjoying yours!

A bit from the studio, a bit from the kitchen...

 I've unpacked what came home from the FAU Potters' Guild Holiday Show and Sale. I've been trying to get into the clay studio but time just escapes me. I did experiment in the sewing room on this postcard. I should have called it finished after I quilted it but decided to add the layer of heart print cellophane. At least I have that idea out of my system!

My soy milk maker has been the big hit in my kitchen this fall. Making fresh organic soy milk a few times each week has become a habit. With the soy milk comes the by product of okara which I hate to throw away so it makes its way into lots of goodies. I've used it in place of the eggs and fat in chocolate cake, added to my veggie burgers, and every week I make a batch of granola. I add the vanilla and ground flax seed to the okara before mixing in oats, nuts and other ingredients. It adds a lovely light crunch and added nutrition to the baked granola!

And here's one of my clay and fiber pieces; a clay box with quilt and seeds, etc. Notice the fine crack .... makes it a 'keeper'!

Shopping with a Cause

Through December 6th my Claynfiber shop is participating in the EtsyVeg promotion to raise funds for 'A Dollar for Peace', a campaign by the volunteer organization "Food Not Bombs". Participating shops are donating ten percent of all sales to this cause. In addition several shops are offering further shopping offers. I'm offering free shipping within the United States on all purchases over $50 and reduced shipping for outside the US. Check EtsyVeg for a list of shops and offers.

If you're looking for other shopping options where your money will help charities of your choice, consider charity wines. I received an email from Cocker Spaniel Rescue of New England, with a link to wine with their label. Seven dollars from each bottle sold goes directly to help the animals they have rescued. There are many other charities you can support through the wine site. This has solved a couple of my tough gift shopping decisions. Now to decide which bottles to order .... oh and then there's the etsy shops to check for the handmade gifts .....oh that's Cleo and Nicolas above; our two adopted rescued family members.

Back in the sewing room I found some stamps I've been saving for the moment of inspiration. Here's my first in the stamp postcards. Now I'm searching the kitchen cupboards for interesting labels!

Tea Time

 About a year ago I started collecting my teabag wrappers. I've been using them but not as quickly as I collect them so I decided to make some postcards this weekend.

I noticed that my tea preferences have limited my color palette so I bought a sampler pack .... I'm looking forward to using these wrappers .....

2009 Joey Fund Auction - October 25, 2009

The Cocker Spaniel Rescue of New England will hold their annual auction on October 25th. If you live in the area why not put it on your calendar. You could bid on this vase!Both our two dogs were rescued by a local cocker spaniel rescue group. Neither is a cocker spaniel but they were going to be put down by the shelter; Cleo because of her broken hip and other injuries and Nicolas because he had been so neglected that he had lost his fur and had sores on his body. Mona who ran the rescue, had an incredible intuition when it came to judging the character of dogs and would take on any challenge to save a dog she felt could become a loving companion. When we first met Mona she told us about Cleo and how she was her "million dollar dog". She had already been through two surgeries to correct her broken hip and had spend most of her puppy-hood confined in a cage so that her bones could heal. She was still wearing a boot when we adopted her as there was hope her broken foot would eventually heal. It didn't but Cleo doesn't seem to notice. She runs on three legs as quickly as Nicolas does on four! We often wonder what their lives were like before they were picked up and put into the shelter. Before we adopted Cleo she had been adopted out twice and returned each time. Her separation anxiety was more than what the first people could deal with. We were warned about this but had no idea what it actually entailed. After coming home to a house full of poop and pee and a very frantic dog we set up a video and saw the frenzy that Cleo worked herself into within minutes of us leaving the house. We tried leaving her five minutes, then ten, then fifteen, etc. but that didn't work. We tried confining her to a small space; that did not help. So we decided we would adopt our second dog a little earlier than planned. We contacted Mona and she knew who could do the job. Nicolas entered our lives and he saved Cleo. We immediately noticed a difference in her and although she was still upset when we left she didn't go into her frenzy; and eventually she didn't even run and hide when she saw us heading for the door. Dogs really are pack animals and all she needed was another pack member to stay with her. I can't thank Mona enough for all the work she did while she lived in South Florida saving so many dogs. With these two creatures she enriched our lives so much. I can't imagine these two loving dogs having to be put down; it isn't right. The world can be so cruel but there is such love and caring as well and so I will continue to support these wonderful people and organizations who do so much to save a life. Now I need to go hug my dogs! I'm thinking of printing this photoshopped image of Cleo onto fabric and working it somehow into a quilt. Or maybe print it onto clay?

Guilty Play & Clay on the Way

Last summer after returning home from visiting a quilt show I was so inspired to paint on fabric but I had no plain fabric and I couldn't wait to go to the store. So I found an old pillow case in the cupboard, some old fabric paints, a sponge and a spray bottle. I felt a little guilty as the pillow case was from my mother many, many years ago. There was some crochet and embroidery on it but looking closely I was sure it had been machine done, so it couldn't have been made done my grandmother. So the sentimental guilt was eased but I was still haunted by the 'green' guilt - 'if I'm not using this pillow case give it away to someone who will use it'. My creative need ignored the guilt and my paint loaded sponge hit the waiting white fabric! I sponged away, spritzing a little here and there, and squirted some dimensional swirls before releasing an 'ahhh, that felt good'! I didn't waste any of that pillow case; I cut the back away and quickly painted another piece. That piece I quilted for my first whole cloth wall quilt.

My sponged piece has been stashed away for a year now and in going through my piles I found it yesterday. Although I should have been working I decided to play; I needed to try out my Timtex. (that's right I'd never used it until yesterday!) I backed three 4x6" pieces with Timtex. My painted fabric is no work of art so it needed something more.
I found some dried flowers and decided to make a little series with those. I've finished one so far; I topped everything with some purple tulle and free hand quilted over it all. This one I finished with some yarn. I may repeat that or add some variegated satin stitching on the others.
Oh, the clay - I feel I have abandoned my clay but we are having doors replaced and I cannot get my kiln back in place until the garage door is inspected and painted. But I do have some pieces waiting to be fired. These will each have some fiber added - either stitches or I want to experiment with a crocheted liner for the bowl here. Maybe I can work in the crocheted piece from the pillow case!