Rooster Window is started....

I wish I could take credit for drawing out the inspiration rooster but I can't 'draw'.  I can however google rooster images.  I enlarged one I liked and worked it out.  One of the things I love most about working with stained glass is how forgiving it is.

If a person is a perfectionist (and I am not) then you can get great attention to detail, great lines, etc...  For me, all I have to do is have an idea and then it fills in all on its own- lol/

I am not sure I am happy with the 'wing' it may or may not get tweaked.

I found a couple of 'fancy' pieces in a yardsale purchase.  I added two to this window for interest.  I like how the diamonds 'twinkle'!

As of tonight, everything is cut out.  I need to grind most of the background pieces.  Then I can foil everything.  Hoping that by next weekend I can start to solder this new keepsake together.

This is my first project done by myself.  So far, so good.  The next couple of project will be way smaller- lol!

Work day for the new flooring has started!

Hubby bid and won 1600 sq ft of oak flooring.  Looks like our 'plans' to do the upstairs are officially ON!

My office is totally cleaned out.  (except for the stuff on the walls)  Many thanks to our oldest son's family for offering up grunt work.  It is had to believe I can pack so much in a 12 x 12 room.

Bonus--we had time to clean out the Kid's play room too.  Plan is after these two rooms get floors down we can move our bedroom into them temporarily.

I had to shuffle the dinning room table to up under the breakfast bar to open up room for my 'office'.

Wish me well as I sort though files and misc.  (maybe tomorrow- lol)
I think I can make it work for a short term.  It beats moving all this stuff up and down stairs.
My sewing/craft areas don't have to get compromised while working on the floors-  win/win

One thing leads to another! Dolls cont...

Yesterday I shared about my Thrift shop 'find'.  What is a new doll collection without a place to display them?
Thanks to Craig's list I was able to find two newly listed display cases.  Hubby was actually in the area of the seller last night and stopped by and picked them up.  How is that for timing!

These pieces were not expensive so they will be perfect to gift to the grand-daughters when the girls get a little older.  Karlee spent the night last night and helped me clear out a place in my bedroom for both cabinets.
The one on 'my' side of the room will be filled with dolls.  The one on hubby's side of the room will most likely remain empty.  I offered to go shopping for more dolls to fill the second one and he said NO! 

Maybe he will change is mind- lol

Thrift Store Dolls- Merry Christmas to me!

Today I ran in to my local Thrift Store to 'see' if they had any bowling balls or microwave trays (Don't ask!)

First thing I see is these beautiful Disney Princesses.  I took a quick look and fell in Love.  I can justify the expense if I purchase them for one of the grand-daughters. It is the Holiday time btw.

I think I was hoping they would not still be at the counter when I was ready to check out.

Three bowling balls and two microwave plates later, I get back to the counter and the dolls are still there!  I dig into my wallet looking for a check.  Kinda hoping I don't have one so I can have a way out.  The gal at the counter, laughed at me and said, : You know We take Debit cards too...."  (I didn't know that, now I can NEVER be trusted to go back in alone-  there goes my NO BUY)  I told her Thanks for the info but I was holding out for the excuse that I might not have a check.  Soon as I said those words, I 'found' the check I keep for Emergencies- you know the one for if I find beautiful Disney Princesses!

Of course these will eventually be given to Karlee and/or Breely, their mom Kelly might get first dibs, but for now they are all posing on my dresser.  I am off to Google 18" Brass Key Porcelain Dolls to see if I can find out more about them.

I might have to Google for a small collectable glass cabinet too!

- cw

stained glass is finished and hung!

At 9:00 this morning, Carl, Mike and  Scott  worked to get the stained glass window hung in the new addition to the church building.

This was (and may forever be) our first collaborated effort in doing any thing creative.

Special Thanks to my good friend and mentor Connie for putting up with us as she taught us the skills to do this masterpiece.  I know she could have 'thrown the whole thing together in a couple of days' but she encouraged us to work at our own pace and we enjoyed the journey.

I know there are no stained glass police, just like there are no quilting police.  Just the same, I have to brag and say that this looks good from the road. 

It was quite hard to get a photo of the guys working.  The sun coming in through the glass is so bright it is almost blinding.

The sun really is so bright coming through the glass that this shot makes the colors look clear.  I used photobucket to crop this picture and add the caption.

We ended up taking the window down and added a layer of pellon to diffuse the direct sun light.
I really like the pattern hubby came up with so I think we will do this again with a different glass.  After we all hold our breath while the second window is being made, this one can get moved to an inside wall.  Maybe then it won't blind you when you get to close- lol

Finally finished, 3 ft x 5 ft.  What a fun first piece!  Remember to wear your sunglasses to Sunday service- lol

Connie's Bow Ties

 Guess what got quilted last night~

Connie, I hope you like this, almost ready to snuggle under!  Binding still needs to be done :(  - cw

Deb, this one's for you!

How fun is this quilt!!  Good friend Deb H found this pattern in one of her favorite quilt mags.  We used a GO strip die to cut yardage and the Triangle Die to cut 1/2 sq. triangles.  She brought her orange and blues and raided my stash to fill in.  Fats can go a long way in making a controlled scrappy sing.

I am so excited to get to see this beauty one step closer to being gifted as a snuggle under HS Graduation quilt.  The more I look at this pattern the closer I am to cutting out one for me.

Deb bought the orange sheet I used on the back from our local Walmart.  I am going to have to check to see if there are any more.  I love this color!!

When I remember the name of the pattern or the mag it is from I will let you know.  be good  -cheryl

Wedding Ring TO DO

Another beautiful quilt top to add to my collection.  Thanks E-bay!

I have an on going pile of older tops and blocks that I hope to bring back to Snuggle Under Keepsake status.
If I can figure out some borders for this one, it may end up on my bed!

Shooting Star Quilt Pattern- a future TO DO?

Did a little fabric therapy with my good friend Dawn today.  I rarely purchase patterns but when I 'find' one that has templates I don't have........ well let's just say fabric isn't the only thing that speaks to me- lol

Do we want to take bets on 'How long it will take for me to cut out a test block"?

50 states quilted for a new friend

I got a call awhile back asking if I could put a top together and quilt it for a couple in the next town over.

Of course I told him I don't quilt for the public.

I ask the man where he 'got' my name and he said from a friend of mine at a blood drive 4 years eariler.
He had kept my number 'just in case'.

His wife had been embroidering her 50 state blocks for almost 40 years.  She had just finished and really wanted to see them in a quilt that she could pass on to her daughter.

How could I not at least meet them and 'see' what she had in mind.  I took my 50 state top to show a possible setting.  She loved mine and wanted hers exactly like it, only in solid blue, like the sky.

I hoped to get it done and back to them by Thanksgiving.  Well to make a short story long, yesterday at 2.30 in the afternoon I got to deliver the future keepsake.  I also got the nicest hug and thanks.

She is so excited that she told me this quilt is going on their bed!  Her daughter is just going to have to wait her turn to get it.  I have to say that made me smile!

Never give up on your goals.  One stitch at a time will get the job done.

Easy Street Mystery 2012

Finally I have a pile of fabrics I think I can work with and the first step is reveled. Good timing.

To see the other quilter's version of step one check out the links HERE.

My background is going to be the RED solid and my 2 yd constant is the black w/roses (2 yds!)
My goal is to totally shop from stash.  The 'yellow' may end up being 'pink',  I will decided when we get to the part where we have to cut- lol

Of course the colors never show true in photos.  My red is actually a bit darker, must have been the flash.

I hope to die cut my strips today and will update this post if/when I get my 4-patches sewn.

Now I am staying off of Ebay (brag)

In my defense I did not bid on this one- lol  I know DIL, Kelly loves strawberries and this top would make a perfect one to quilt for her for Christmas.  I did offer to let her cut out red fabrics and make her own version of this vintage masterpiece.   We will have to wait and see it she gets one.  (If she is good, I will let her quilt it too!)

Here are my Grands posing w/me and grandpa.  The quilt in the background is the first one I have purchased off E-bay in quit awhile.  I had forgot how much fun it can be just looking at all the beautiful items for sale.  The grandboys all have marker drawn mustaches thanks to Uncle Jess.

 Here are my latest E-Bay purchases in  no particular order.

I can't wait for the mail this next week.

This wedding ring top is one that I have had on my TO DO list, now I can cross that off- lol

 I have always been a fan of scrappy, this is another pattern that I enjoy seeing and now can boast that I have in my 'collection'


And scrappy and yellows--I love it!!!!

This Log Cabin is the sister to the top in our family photo.  I may have to quilt both to take to the cabin.  I love the fabrics in the first one so I know I am going to love this second one too.  Fingers crossed it comes in the mail this weekend!!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.  Stay off E-bay for a couple of days or at least until the last several I bid on have closed- lol

Ebay purchase- scrappy log cabin

Shout out to Vickey in Hillsboro WV- Thanks for this top!

I love scrappy and love the fabrics in this future keepsake.

I am considering adding a border of butterflies to enlarge this beauty to a king size for our bed.  I rarely bid on Ebay but have had success in getting tops at a reasonable price.  My new log cabin die is coming soon for my GO, maybe I can cut out a companion piece from my scrappy stash soon!

Finally figured out what I want to do for the new Mystry quilt

I was doing a Google search for focus fabrics, thinking I could find something I like to pull colors for the new Mystery- Easy Street (Bonnie Hunter)

This is exactly what I had in mind!  I know I want to do a Red background and will use Red as my Constant.

Colors 1, 2, 3, 4   will be pulled from this inspiration piece.

http://wwwbiglakequilter.blogspot.com/2012/04/its-time-to-reveal.html

Right now I am leaning towards Dark Greens/Black/Navy/Purple,   Yellows/Beige/Tans/,  Light Blue, and Pink or White
I could go Black, Green, Yellow and Lt Blue.   I will have to start pulling scraps and see what colors I have enough of.

It will be fun to see how many times I change my mind before the final top is sewn.

Are you planning to join the Mystery?  Check out the yahoo group quiltvillechat.

I didn't make it very far on my original choices.  I found a red sheet I can use for background.

I have just over two yds of this pink with Red, Yellow, Purple flowers.

Quick pull of Green, Purple and Yellow, looking good but not my original idea.

  Hope this doesn't mean I have to make two quilts!  lol

Sewing in my 'Office"

I have been doing my Spring cleaning in the Fall this year.  I work from home and really wanted to update my office.  I have two Brick and Morter offices that I can meet with clients, one in Springfield and the other in Ozark, MO.

My home office is for the late night computer work and other paper pushings that come with working with the public.  (Not everyone keeps a 9 to 5!)

I moved all the file cabinets from the back wall and set up a vinaigrette w/a spare machine to allow for a quilt seam here and there.

Thrift Store find.  You know me, if it has a black frame, it must be ART!!!

More example of inspiration and 'art'- lol

This is my next future TO DO in Stained Glass.  Why there is a can of spray paint on the window sill is anyone's guess.

Flowers laid out on the floor.  Some are sewn together some are waiting for just the right spot.

This is Command Central, I did a fuzz out so you wouldn't have to see the clutter. Or so I wouldn't have to see the clutter- lol   Who am I kidding, we all have clutter.

I need to get back to work!  cw

Go Circles- another Baby Quilt

My Niece, Krystal is getting a new Nephew in Jan.2013.  She came over today to borrow my GO Baby and the Circle die.  I can't wait to see what she cuts out.

U-Tube Inspiration Video Here.

She purchased a focus print that we hope to use on the back.  I bordered a background piece to add the circles too.  We plan to use it for the front.

I can see this style as being a fun way to use up scraps or focus fabrics!

Krystal has been playing with the placement of the die cut circles.    Plans are to get together at the end of the week to work on quilting this future keepsake!

15 min clean/fling

My good friend, Dawn, challenged me to do a 15 clean/fling.  She didn't actually call it that, but the idea is the same.  Instead of my whining about how cluttered my side of the bedroom is, I actually cleared off a few surfaces and dusted.  (YES, dusted!)

 I almost never show photos of my bedroom.  I never let anyone outside of immediate family through the door.  I have a very yardsale/thrift shop style of decorating.  Unfortunately I also have a very bad habit of not making the bed or putting clothes away.  The joke is I clean the room once a year whether it needs it or not.

 I dusted off our wedding picture and a shot from 25 yrs later.  Haven't changed a bit!

My dresser is totally cleaned off and dusted too.  Can't take a picture of it b/c the mirror reflects the mess in the rest of the room- lol

I have a collection of white vases that I want to set out on the long dresser to decorate for the Holidays.  That is going to be my motivation to clean the rest of the room.  I might just have to quilt a Holiday quilt for the bed while I am at it.  (Not going to commit to which Holiday or which year, but I will commit to 15 minutes of  de-clutter. ) Wish me well.