Please Read! Don't Want to Lose You

I'm making a few updates and changes.  I'm always re-decorating my house and now that's what I'm doing with my blogs.  I've had two blogs for almost a year now and I'm finding it too difficult to keep up with both.  I'm still going to show what I do, but I'm going to put everything under my main blog:  http://newagegrandma.blogspot.com/.  I won't take this site down because I have a lot of pictures on it that I don't want to lose.  But since knitting, sewing and crafts are such a part of who I, Grandma Nina, am about, there is no need to separate.  I'll still have a link to this on my  "Grandma Nina"  blog if you're interested in looking back at some of my things.
Now with the pages widget on blogs, I will have a page of My Charming Creations. Just mostly  pictures.  I also still have my Etsy shop: http://charmingbynina.etsy.com/ .   I hope you can also visit me there.  I really need to consolidate my blogs, and so also my life.
Thank you to all that have followed me here.  For those that did not also follow my other blog, I hope you will move over there.  Thank you for all your support and comments.  I'm not going away, just moving.

The Stuff I Love To Do

I know it's been a while.  I got so behind in everything since the Holidays.  Then my son and family moved, so we helped with the move and one or two days a week I've been going to their new home to help clean and decorate.  I just bought some cream shear polyester to make two door sidelight panels.  They are extra long and we can't find 80" lengths ready made. 
I have managed to get a couple of new items made for my Etsy shop.  My inventory, that wasn't that large to start with, got much smaller since the Holidays as I sold quite a bit and gave away a lot for Christmas.  That's good, though, right?
I finished this chunky creamy white neckwarmer a couple of nights ago and finally got it up on Etsy about 1/2 an hour ago.  It's knit from 100% Sherpa wool.  It's really warm and comfortable, but for someone that's bothered by wool I would suggest wearing it over a turtleneck.  I wore it myself around the house for a while and hated to take it off.

Last week I finished another mini tea cup pincushion.  These little mini ones are just so darn cute.  I almost hate parting with them.

I maybe showed this half apron before, I can't remember.  I was going to save it for myself, but instead decided to give it to my sister-in-law.  She's been taking care of her mother (my mother-in-law) who's very ill with cancer and she also just got married and re-modeled her darling kitchen.  I thought this apron would go so well with her kitchen and thought she might appreciate it.  These are old fashioned hats on the fabric. 

I need to make more aprons.  I have several ideas in my head as soon as I get a little more time.

The knitting project I'm working on now is a lace patterned scarf with a pastel mini mochi yarn.  It's very light and airy and feminine.  I've learned not to work on this pattern while tired late at night.  I keep making mistakes and have to rip out stitches.  Two steps forward, one step back.  Takes a long time to finish at this rate.

I didn't make dinner tonight since we took the grandson's to Pizza Hut for a late lunch, so I have an extra hour to work in my studio tonight.  Such a luxury!

New Year - Need to Get Moving

I know, I'm really behind.  I've been posting on my other blog, but this one has been ignored a little.  Christmas and life got in the way.  I'm also really behind on my Etsy shop.  I just haven't had time to make too much new.  I realize I never showed the finished apron I made for my mother for Christmas.  It turned out cute.

I really need to show these aprons on a model or dress form.  Just laying them on the floor doesn't do justice.

Now that the Holidays are over, decorations put away, house  cleaned up and furniture moved back into place, and moving the kids (see other blog) is done --- I am now thinking of what I can make next.  I have the little teacup and notions picked out for my next pincushion.  I'm also knitting some hand warmers and a matching hat from some beautiful Grande Baby Alpaca.  I'm thinking of giving these to my DIL for her birthday at the end of the month.  See, this is my problem with Etsy.  I give a lot away.  Oh well, that's really more satisfying than selling it. 

If you've read my most recent post on my other blog, you know that I've recently found out that I have two more grandchildren due this summer.  You know what that means!  More baby knits and two more baby quilts.  I really need to hibernate for the next three months to get done what I want to get done.  Ohhh, hibernating sounds so nice!!  If that could only happen.

Santa's Workshop

My little Santa's Workshop has been busy for the last several weeks.  That's why there hasn't been a post on this site in quite some time.  Before Christmas is over I felt I should show a little of what I've been doing locked in my Workshop (Studio/Sewing Room) at night.

I had a few orders for neckwarmers.  This is one that a friend had asked for to give as a gift to her sister.

It's knit from a dark purple brushed Baby Alpaca.

This one was ordered by my beautician for herself.  I ended up just giving it to her as a Christmas gift.

I didn't get a picture of it finished before I gave it to her, but it's a black ruffled neckwarmer with silver buttons.  Just like the dark purple above.

My mother had requested an apron for Christmas about a month ago, and actually picked out the fabric that she wanted it made from.

She picked out the black floral.  I then found these other fabrics that coordinated and I had this good lace that I knew I could incorporate in some way.

The apron is almost done.  I will get it finished tonight. I'll be sure to get a picture of the finished product.

 

I always worry a little in making something that someone has specifically ordered in fear that it won't turn out as they imagined.  If someone is paying me I feel an obligation to  get it exactly right and then always let them know that they are not obligated to buy it if it's not what they wanted.  So far no one has refused anything.  I really prefer to make what I like and if someone wants to buy it, great.

I also made a chunky neckwarmer for my Mother-in-law to match the hat I gave to her.

Here's the hat.  Still need to take a picture of the matching neckwarmer.  I gave her the hat already and now will need to mail the neckwarmer to her.

And I'm still working on the black hooded sweater requested by my son.  It's not going to be finished for Christmas.  Maybe for his birthday in April.  It's something I work on in between other projects.

Can't tell much from this picture.  Black is very hard to work with, too, because it's hard to see.

I wish I could get a lot more done.  Maybe if I had elf helpers!  Oh well!!

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Quilt Tour

Less than two weeks now until Christmas and I love to have all the decorating and preparations almost complete by now so I can sit back and enjoy it all.  On my other site you can see the decorations inside and out and all the trees I put up.  I also have several quilts and pillows that I have made over the years for Christmas.  They come out of the closet for about one month a year, so here they are.

This is a very small quilt that sits on a table at the top landing of my staircase.  The quilted poinsettias are 3D.  They are only attached to the quilt at the center of each flower.

The "Joy" wallhanging is made to look like stained glass.  It hangs in my shoe and purse loft guest room

Here's a pillow that goes with it.

This is a flannel rag pillow.  The seams are all on the outside and then are frayed.

This is made from a darling red toile winter scene.  I also made the pillow behind it that is a hand quilted design.

A bargello design that hangs on a quilt hanger in the upstairs hallway.

Trying to get a full view of same quilt from first floor

A reversible table runner on my living room coffee table that my ceramic manger scene sits on.  It reverses to autumn colors.

Hope you enjoyed my little Christmas quilt tour.  I hope to have at least one new one next year.

Art Shows are Fun!

This is such a busy time of year and I love it.  As long as people leave me alone so I can do what I need to do!
Last Sunday, two of my very talented friends and I had an art show at the new local coffee shop.  We had a steady flow of people show up and a very good response.  This was just a show, no selling.

l-r - Anju, Alma and me

Anju does beautiful mosaics.  She designs them from start to finish.

Alma is a very talented painter.  She has been painting for about 20 years.

I displayed my miniature quilts.  Most of them are framed, a few aren't.

This one on the right is a piano counted cross stitch and then borders added and quilted.

This upcoming Sunday some other local artists, including myself, are having an Open House where we'll be selling our creations.  I'll include my smaller framed quilts, pincushions, and knits.  My mother is also going to be including the dog tag pendants that she's working on.  I think we're going to have a very large turnout for this event.  I'm looking forward to it and a little nervous.  This is my first show for selling.  Will people buy?  Do I have enough to show?  And if I do sell, my Etsy shop will look empty!  O.K., let it go and whatever happens, happens.

I have just finished knitting two neck warmers and listed them on Etsy.  I can make these fairly quick so they're good items to sell.  They are really warm and fashionable, too.  Isn't my model cute?  She's very cooperative!

This one is made from 100% Sherpa Wool.

This one is brushed Baby Alpaca with a ruffle on the end.

I just started a pink one that I'm making very similar to this blue one with a ruffle. 

I would like to get a few more pincushions done by Sunday, too.

I'm also in the middle of putting up Christmas trees.  I put up about six of them in various sizes.  All with a different theme.  I'll be posting them on my other blog eventually.  I want to get them all done by this weekend because we're leaving the day after Thanksgiving for Spokane to visit my son, DIL and granddaughter.  Very excited!  Check my other blog for more details on this later, too.

I'll keep you posted on the Open House.

Teacups, quilts and headbands.

I am so loving my little teacup pincushions.  I love buying the antique tea cups and little shoes and little vases.  I love picking out the materials and colors to transform them.  I love putting all the pieces together.  Here's the one I finished last night.

I call it "Sand and Sea".  This turquoise color is so pretty and the cup itself is very delicate.

I also have another little quilt I need to get framed.  Maybe I'll get that done tonight.  I'd like to start on another quilt, too.  They are a little more time consuming, so I need to really be in the sewing/quilting mood.

I finally finished knitting my pastel rainbow headband last night.  What a pain this had become.  I thought I had it finished according to size a few nights ago.  I bound it off, sewed up the ends and it was too small.  Must be that my head is larger than I thought!  So I took it partially apart and made it longer.  I have to say that it turned out pretty good after all the frustration with it.

It goes with this scarf that I finished a while back.

I'm not putting these up for sale.  I'm keeping for myself.  I actually should give as a Christmas gift, but no - I'm keeping and wearing myself.  Way too much time involved to sell at a decent price.  And besides, I love the colors for me.

Now, I also have to mention my blog and Etsy friend, Cathy Strate of Tolentreasures http://tolentreasures.blogspot.com/ .  She had an Open House at her home on Saturday and since I realized we live fairly close and I was going to be down her way on Saturday, I looked her up and visited her at her open house.   She felt like an old friend, even though we met face to face for the first time.  We both have grandsons named Logan and granddaughters that were born on the same day.  She has a wonderful Etsy shop and is very creative and talented.  I think this world of blogging is so amazing.  You meet people that you have so much in common with and it is such a thrill if and when you get a chance to meet in person. 

So pay Cathy a visit.  She's  a very sweet, warm person with a great blog and shop.  I hope we get to see each other again soon.