Christmas is Well and Alive!

As some of you know it is very hard for me to have studio time with my grandson sleeping there.  I have always made Christmas gifts and this year is no different except they are not as involved as they were in past years.

This ribbon Christmas tree is about the most invovled thing I have accomplished.  I would love to do another one but probably out of the question this year.  I have already thought of some things to make it better.  It is 11 inches tall and the width is about 6 inches. 

I am busy working on a set of coasters this year from some of my friends.  These have been fun. I hope every one likes them.

 



 

 

 

 



 

 

 

I have also made a few of these candle wraps.  This one was for my friend Debbie's Birthday.  Her Christmas gift is not up here yet for the simple reason I do not want her to accidently see it before time.



 

I will continue this post as soon as everything is finished and under the tree!  Have a blessed Christmas season!



Just Remember the Past

I have had a birthday this month and turning 60 is a time to remember things from the past.  It seems like only yesterday my girls were small.  It also brings me to the realization that life as we know it is not forever.  Life can be hard and situations can be hard but you need to move on.  It never stays the same. 

My youngest daughter makes me smile.  My oldest one has decided that she has no reason to have me in her life because of a decision I had to make.  She will not forgive me for living my own life as I see fit so I have to let her go.  It has been hard but mostly because this decision she made effect both me and my granddaughter. 

One of the things that has happened the oldest is in possession of all the family pictures.  My youngest has captured a few of them for me and this was the best birthday gift she could have given to me.  It did take me down memory lane and it was most pleasant because I choose to think about the good things. 

 

This is my sweet father when he was quite young.  I miss him and my mom terribly.  Hopefully I will get the wedding pictures and my mom's pictures back some day.

 

This is my mama.  She used to rock me when I first woke up from a nap.  Some how I believe that heaven is your mama rocking you.  This is a very late picture of her.  I am so happy to have it.

This is my two girls.  The oldest on is in the back.  The one I thank for the pictures is in the front.

They were beautiful children and I love them both with all my heart.

 

 

Aww! Making peanunt butter and jelly sandwiches.  She is so intent on what she is doing.  Very cute!

 

 

Quite pretty isn't she.  She still is.

 

 

 

Here she is now.  Never know what color her hair will be but usually red or black. 

I love you sweetheart!

Fall is Here!

 Well it is the fall and harvest times and time for those little spooky children that come to your house for trick or treat!  I have been busy making some wool felt coasters.  They are all blanket stitched with cotton floss and some they all have a little metallic braid to sparkle them up.

 

 





All wrapped up and ready to go

https://www.etsy.com/listing/112702836

 

 

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/112705200

I have been working on beads.  As some of you know my studio is being taken up by my year old grandson at present.  So I don't get too much studio time.  Beads I can make in my kitchen and therefore I do!  These are an assortment and will not be made again.

 

 

 

 

 I did happen to have time to put a binding on my first large quilt.  This is the quilt that got me started.  I use 3 charm packs of Moda fabric.  It was machine pieced and bound but I did hand quilt it.  I am glad it is finished and as soon as I have my studio back I will be finishing my Sentimental Journey Quilt.  I am going to take it to be quilted by a long arm. 

NOW LOOK OUT  Here  Comes SANTA CLAUS !

https://www.etsy.com/listing/112703881

 

I will be back with more for Christmas soon!

Fiber Art Beads

I have been in the fiber bead mood again!  This time I have made them with bigger holes and drilled them so I could string them like I did in the picture above. 

I have not been able to get in my studio due to some family members living here at this time.  It has been a trying time for me because I love what I do and right now that just is not possible.  Hopefully it won't be for too much longer and I can get back to my routine.

Fiber Beads are something I don't do in the studio so I  have been working on them when I can catch a free moment or two.   

These are the "Caribbean" beads.  Short and squat.  I think they will be strung up and really make a nice bracelet.  I love the colors! Heck I love the size of these. 

SOLD

I really liked these too.  They are the "Malibu" beads.  They are sort of a frosty look to them. I am going to make a graduated set of these I think.

Aww "Circus Circus"!  Don't you love these colors!  This is the frosted version of the "Mexicali" beads I did some time ago.  Here is the "Mexicali"!

The difference is made by using pearl white paint over all the bright colors.  It just amazing to me that there is this much difference in the two!

"Desert Sand" is quite an elegant look to me.  It is silvery and a bit of gold with a light taupe color.  This will the second time I have made this color. 

"Wood Smoke" is also a second time color for me.  It is a beautiful gun metal taupe golden bronze color.  These have made it into quite a few treasuries on etsy.com so when they sold I knew I had to make more.

What do you do with "left overs?"  You got a bit crazy with a new paint!  These have some Liquid Pearl paint on them.  Just had fun with it.  It is called "Puttin' on the Ritz"  I might try more of these too!!! 

Well that is all for today.  All of these beads will be on http://www.etsy.com/shop/SweetArtUnlimited sometime this weekend.  All but the "Mexicali" that is but I will be making more of those in the future.  Have a nice weekend!

Love that Cotton!

Quite some time ago I started working on a cotton project.  During the first few pieces of embroider I got an idea to make some of them cotton into sequins.  I love them and I love using them.  So I began to sell them on etsy.com at my shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/SweetArtUnlimited .  I think they are cute so I thought I would say a little bit about them.  I really doubt I would use them on something such as clothing because I am afraid they wouldn't wash well.  They, however, are so wonderful for an embellishment for a few other things that would not be washed.  Let me show you a few and then I will show you some things I did with them.

These little sequins have quite a bit of sparkle to them due to the paint I used on them.  I really love the ones that have several colors the most but they unfortunately are the hardest to replicate.  So mostly I will have to just do them and call them custom.  If I use a single color I can make those again. 

Where did this start out.  I was playing with paint and cotton and wondered how stiff or how bendable it would be.  I did a lot of experiments with it and actually thought it felt like a soft leather.  So I started to embroider on it.  Here are a few of my first designs.

These are my "Crazy Hearts".  Because they reminded me of crazy quilts. 

 Oh yeah this sort of looks like leather with a sparkle!

Then why not black? Leather like indeed!

Oh yes there the sequins are.  I just love them so let me show you a few gift cards I did as well.

I have had a whole lot of fun with these sequins.  Maybe you could have some fun with them too!

Fobs Fobs Fobs and More Fobs

I have spent a great deal of time making scissor fobs lately.  I have sold quite a few on etsy.com.  I can do these in my sleep.  I don't know why but I enjoy watching the color evolve.  I use Silk 'N Colors by Thread Gatherer.  It is really my favorite thread to work with.  I am in the process of thinking about selling that thread.  I have not got it all worked out yet but it is in the beginning stages.  I have a bit of homework to do to make it happen.

Every time you make these they look different.  I don't use a pattern I just make them up in my head.  I go through my selection of silks and beads and put together something I would like.  Most of them are very colorful but some are pastels too.

I like to use glass beads in all of them.  I am crazy about delicas for some reason.  I also like unusual glass beads like in the one above.  They are a milky white but lined with gold.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/meersbaby 

 You can find all I have in stock here.  I am always adding them so come back often.  Or request something.  You can look at my sold items and if you like one of those I will do my best to make you one.

This one I call My Crayon Box.  I have sold quite a few of these.  It is probably one of my favorites.

I do other fobs as well.  I am showing some from the past.  The pink house is done over one fabric thread.  The flower was done on some of my hand painted fabric.

Here is another popular one.  I have done quite a few of these.

Sometimes I fancy up the back.

Most of the time the back looks like this.

 

 

 

Sometimes a little embellishment is just the thing. 

 

That is all for now.  I have made loads of these things.  Too many to list for sure.  I love doing them so if you would love to have one just contact me at

http://www.etsy.com/shop/meersbaby