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.

My First Sale!!

Woo Hoo!!  Finally!  I'm so excited.  Last night I had the e-mail from Etsy saying I made a sale.  So now I have to get it wrapped, packaged and mailed.  I'll be doing that this morning.  Good customer service is just as important as the marketing and promoting. 
I sold the little yellow pincushion, Buttercup. (See it it my previous post)  It is darling.  I better get busy getting more things made.  I've had more e-mails from people possibly interested in Christmas presents.  And two of my very talented girl friends and I are having an art show next Sunday, in which I will be showcasing my mini quilts.  The following Saturday, another girlfriend is hosting a arts and crafts bazaar at her home and I'll be selling  all my things there.  I was given advice that I should put my Etsy shop on "vacation" mode that particular day so that I don't end up selling the same items to two different people at the same time.  That could get a little sticky. 
This is fun.  It's a lot of work, though.  At least now I feel it's a step in the direction of being worth it. 
My mother is now going to get on board.  She has been wanting to turn some of her creative ideas into the real tangible deal.  She saw this done by the daughter of a friend.  You take just plain, silver, dog tags and decorate in various ways, then cover with resin to make it shiny.  That's a very simplified description.  They turn out very unique and different.  Each of them One Of a Kind that invites many Oohs and Aahs and compliments. That's the goal, anyway.   I'm helping her with these to get started.  I also had the idea of making tiny little quilts to apply to the tag first as a base or background.  This is all still a work in progress and I'll show pictures once we get some finished pieces that we're happy with and ready to "take to market". 
Believe it or not, there is even research that we had to do on these tags.  We have found out that you don't want to go with nickel plated, but instead want to use silver plated.  Nickel can cause allergies and other problems with many people and is actually not allowed to be sold to or used in Europe.  Who knew?
I sure wish I had more time to spend on these fun hobbies of mine.  My family can be very time consuming and needy.  They are my priority, though, so I just wish I didn't have to sleep.  The middle of the night is the only time I have to myself. 

Old and New

I want to start this beautiful Sunday by saying that I wish I had the time to write on both of my blogs every day, and that is my goal, but right now I just don't seem to have the time.  I have to admit, though, that I just realized that between my two sites, this is now my 102nd post.  It adds up in six months.

Yesterday, Mom and I took the day to go furniture shopping, new and antique.  She's looking for new furniture for her family room and an antique night stand for her guest room.  I'm looking for an antique small coffee table for my tea room.  We struck out on all counts.
But---I was very excited about the teacups and vases that I found to either make into pincushions or just to add to my collections.

Antique tea cups (I think the little one in front is fairly new, but it's so cute)

I believe the one on the left is a small vase, as is the Imperial Glass

on the right.  The cup in the middle is a chocolate cup.

Here are the other teacups I've made into pincushions.

And miniature shoe

This little one is only about 1-1/2" high and 2" tall)

There's also the one from my previous post of October 10 (I can't believe it's been that long since I last wrote).  I'm having so much fun making these.  Picking out the fabric that best goes with the cup and choosing the different laces, ribbons, buttons and charms that seem to belong.

I  just finished another framed mini quilt.

This little quilt size is a little over 3" square, then mounted on linen, with the title "Reach for the Stars" cross stitched, bordered with lace on the top and bottom and framed in a 5x7 silver frame.  There is a star charm in the middle.

And I  finally finished my pastel rainbow scarf.

I made it 72" long and 3" wide so that there are many different ways of wrapping it or even making it into a bow.  This is a washable wool, very lightweight, so it lays so nice.  The knit stitch is a mock cable on one side.  I originally planned on putting this in my Etsy shop, but I think I might have to keep it for myself now.  I loved this yarn so much that I got some more and just started a "Kisses and Hugs" cable pattern headband to go with it.

 

It's a good thing this is only a headband and won't be very long because I really have to pay attention to the pattern.  I've torn out many times already.  TIP - don't knit complicated patterns late at night when tired!

Each night I decide what it is I want to work on for the evening.  I have to have several different projects going at once because I tend to get bored easily.  I think I'm going to sit and knit tonight.

Can't Stay Caught Up

I know this is becoming a constant theme with me and I'm sorry to keep on about it, but I can't seem to get organized with my blogging and my Etsy shop.  I can't find a good routine and time schedule to get it all done.  I still have my two grandsons 3 days a week, so that isn't helping.  Next week I will only have them for 2 days and then their mother will be done working.  I think then I'll miss having them and will still ask to have them visit a few times a week.  Then week after next my DIL and 4 month old granddaughter, Riley, will be home from Spokane for 2 weeks.  I can't wait to see them.  Anyway, it's all for good reasons that I don't have more time and I won't give any of it up.  The only answer is to not sleep.

I did manage to get some knitted  fingerless gloves finished and listed on Etsy.  I have a matching scarf that I think I'll be listing today.

I also just made a mini quilted change purse.  I call this one "Guardian Angel".  It's about 4" square with a velcro closure on top, and it's lined.  I loved making these little mini squares and then making them into something.

I'll probably get this listed on Etsy tomorrow. 

I am also trying to finish up a pink baby sweater for Riley to have ready when they get here.  And Dee (DIL) asked me if I had the second green booty finished to match the sweater set I made before she was born.  The answer was, "No".  I have to finish this within the next week and a half, too, because Dee wants to get Riley's picture taken in this outfit I made while she's here.  I'm so flattered by that so that needs to get done.

See what I mean, one booty.  O.K. so I'm overwhelming myself by writing this all down. 

If I could just hole up for the next several days with no one bothering me, no cooking, cleaning, etc. I think I could do it.  Realistically that's not going to ever happen. 

Gotta get busy with all this.  Right now, though, I have to go blow the leaves off the driveway. 

Tired of Pillows

I'm watching Design Star finale. I'm not sure who I want to win. I guess I'm leaning toward Dan. So I'm going to get off this computer and knit while I watch the show.
Since this was the first weekend in a month that we've been home the entire weekend, I used the time to sew. I seem to be on a little pillow kick right now. I finished this 10" square little one today for Fall. I love the rich colors on it. The pumpkin is pieced like a small crazy quilt and I embellished with embroidery by hand. The quilting was done by machine.

Here is the back of the pillow.

I just listed it on my Etsy shop.

I'm tired of sewing for a little while, so back to the knitting needles. I may even actually have to go to bed earlier than usual tonight. I'm just plain tired.

To Be a Business, Or Not To Be

Time, time, time! I wish I had more of it. I just have so many projects I'm working on and then so many more in my head. I overwhelm myself. I really need to get myself better organized. I started this Etsy shop, but I don't feel like I'm being serious enough about it. I haven't sold anything yet, and now it's becoming a "why, what's wrong" type of thing. You know, just the principle of it. I don't need to support a family or even myself, for that matter, but I need to feel like it's worth my time. I just read a good blog by http://studiomme.blogspot.com and she gave some very good organizing tips. I did just have these cards made up. I designed it and had a local printer friend print them for me. I was happy with how they turned out. So I'll just keep sewing and knitting because I love to do it, but I am going to also become a little more business minded about the whole thing.

I still need to fit in the grandson babysitting for two weeks starting this Sunday evening, helping My Bob with his business, cleaning, cooking, laundry, and decorating the house here and there (which is also another hobby I enjoy), and the travelling we enjoy doing when possible. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining one little bit. I have a great life and very much appreciate that I can do all these things that I love to do. There just aren't enough hours in the day. Trying to be a perfectionist in all that I do takes extra time, but it's the only way I know how to do things.

I just finished this little pumpkin pillow for Halloween. I posted it on Etsy yesterday. I don't personally do much decorating for Halloween and I don't do orange, but I know a lot of people do. I prefer to decorate more in a Fall/Harvest type theme in golds, greens, and burgundys. Anyway, this little pumpkin was fun to make. The pillow is about 9" square and the pumpkin itself is about 4" square with approx. 37 pieces of fabric in that 4" square. I trimmed in black lace.

Here is the back of the pillow. I have a velcro closure on it and stuffed with Poly Fil.

I have Fall/Autumn pillow ideas in my head right now so that is probably my next project.

I'm also working on a knitted black sweater for oldest son, Austin. This was a special request from him and I'm just thrilled that he would wear something made by his mother. He's 28 years old. I guess I shouldn't get too excited yet. It's not done and there's no guarantee he'll like it or wear it. Oh well, at least he made the request.

Listed, finished and new

I just listed another item on Etsy. This little "Tea for Two" mini framed quilt really is very cute. I struggle with whether or not to sell some of my things. I can't use them or display them all and I keep making new things, but I become very attached to my creations.

I also finished this Market Bag. I sort of customized it so it could be used for a knitting carry all bag. A few girls at my knit shop said they would like something that they could attach to themselves, to hold their knitting, that they could actually walk around while they knit. So I made a pocket that I attached to the inside made out of a batik fabric that velcros closed. This can hold small items or scissors and knitting needles. Attached at the top of the bag by the shoulder strap is a charm clip that holds charm stitch markers. Then I put two snaps at the top of the bag. The shoulder strap stays on your shoulder since it's a yarn and not slippery. It works better over your head and shoulder. I've tried it out and it works well.

The latest item I've started is this little knitted rainbow beanie hat. It's made from a thin wool on size 6 needles. I think it's going to be very cute. I love little hats in late fall and winter.

As the nights get longer and the weather gets cooler, I get more done.

Fixing and Adjusting

I tried to get the business cards I designed printed at a local print shop and that didn't work either. I guess I'll have to pay an outside source to get these made correctly. I'm just giving up for now.

I'm also loving the Piknik picture editing site. Free at http://www.piknik.com/ It's so much easier to use than Paint.Net. My pictures on my Etsy site are getting better. Fun but, again, very time consuming.

I posted another item on Etsy today. This is a mini quilt pillow.

I need to be knitting or sewing during my evening TV time, though, instead of blogging. I was trying to schedule myself to blog during the day. There doesn't seem to be time during the day, either. I need to organize my time a little better, I guess. I have too many things I try to do, want to do, need to do, like to do, every day. I just don't understand people that complain of being bored. This never happens to me.

New Stuff

I put another mini framed quilt on Etsy today. I'm getting the hang of this Etsy thing, but it's taking a lot of my time. I know I'll get a better understanding of it as I go. Pictures are a major part of it. I just downloaded a free photo editing site called Piknik and have played around with it a little bit. It seems to be a little friendlier to use than Paint.Net, which I've been using.

I also tried to design and print my own business cards today and I got the design part done and they look really cute, but my printer (HP Inkjet) wouldn't feed the business card stock correctly and I wasted several sheets of that. I think tomorrow I'll go into Staples and see if they can print them for me. I get frustrated because this computer stuff is slow moving for me. And I know I'm not going to make a tremendous amount of money, but I'm really enjoying it. My Bob, though, is going to start to get impatient with me because I know I'm sort of ignoring other things. Don't you just wish that you could do your thing all day with no one bothering you? Not going to happen! That's why I stay up late at night. Bob not happy about that either.

I've also started knitting another Market Bag with a thicker wool yarn for fall/winter. I'm thinking of making it into a knit project carry bag. You know, to carry your yarn, needles, etc. I will put a fabric pouch inside for small items so they don't fall through the holes. But I'm running out of yarn so I hope my yarn shop has more of it.

The brighter colors showing is the bottom. We'll see what I end up with. Sometimes it's not always what I start out with in my head.

Etsy is Up and Running

Finally! I did it! I've been thinking about it and talking about it and making things for quite a while now. Then I procrastinated on actually doing it. Getting an Etsy site. For any of you that don't know what this is, it's a site to buy and sell anything handmade. There are some amazing things on this site for sale and some very talented people. I think that's why I hesitated so long. Everything on there looks so nice and professional, I hope mine measures up. So I decided to take the leap and we'll see what happens. It's been fun, even if I don't sell anything.
I've put up a link on the sidebar of both my blog sites if you would like to check it out. I hope to have more items on there this week. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. I figure I just needed to jump in and learn and improve as I go. In addition to my mini quilts, I plan on putting up some knitted items and probably aprons. The aprons I question because some of the other sites showing aprons are selling them for so little that I don't know if it's worth it if I keep my prices the same as some of these other ones. I'll have to think on this.

More Mini Framed Quilts

Here are a few more of my little mini quilt blocks that I have framed. And then I have a few that I initially made to frame, but decided to make little tiny decorator pillows out of them. They look real cute just sitting on a shelf, on a small easel, on an end table, or the pillows can be shown on a shelf, on a bed, chair, or couch. Again, they're embellished with charms, lace, beads and the words are cross stitched.
This one"Tea For Two" is a teapot and tea cups, using my favorite color fabric, pink.

Close up

"Home is Where the Heart is" I decided to make into a mini pillow (about 6"x6").

Framed mini's for sale some day

Here are two of my "charming creations" that I am considering selling on Etsy. I just haven't had time yet to study and set up my Etsy store. I'm going to work on that as soon as I get a chance. I love making miniature quilts and like to be creative with these mini's. I like to embellish with beads, charms and lace. These little 3-4" quilts are attached to a cross stitch cloth, then I cross stitch a saying or word that fits the pattern, add a little lace border, and frame in a 5x7 frame.

"Star of Bethlehem"

"Star of Bethlehem" close-up

"Desert Rose"

"Desert Rose" close up

"My Heart Belongs to the Sea"

This is another one of my miniatures. I've always liked this Storm at Sea pattern and wanted to try it in miniature. Notice the pink heart in the lower right corner. The reason for the name, "My Heart Belongs to the Sea" . The total size is 17"x 17".

Each square is 3", and each 3" square consists of 28 pieces.
This quilt won first place in the miniature division at the Cook Forest Quilt Show here in PA.

My Charming Miniatures

I wanted to show some of my miniature quilts. I found miniatures to be so much fun to do and the more I did the more I challenged myself to see how small I could make the pieces and see how accurate I could be in piecing them together.

This was the very first miniature I made. It was just a simple nine patch that I put sashing in between and then one border, with ribbon used for the cornerstones. The squares are 1-1/2". I use this little quilt now to pin my quilt show pins to. It hangs in my sewing room.

Here is a close up.

This was probably the most difficult miniature I've made to date. I entered this one in the Lancaster Quilt Show in 2006 and received an Honorable Mention. It's such a hassle to enter a quilt that I haven't entered any more since. I called this quilt "Pineapples In My Garden" This picture didn't turn out so clear, though. The total size is 15-1/2"x 17-1/2". It's foundation pieced, hand appliqued flowers, embellished with beads in the middle of the yo-yo flowers, hand embroidered vine. The main quilt is machine quilted and hand quilted around the flowers.

Here is a close up.