ATCs...Little Wonders

 I have now participated in two ATC (Artist Trading Cards) swaps through Kimberly of artJOYstuff.  The theme for May will be "Sew Many Flowers" and I am doing this one for certain.  With my love of flowers and sewing this will be a fun way to combine the two.  ATCs are very tiny...the size of a regular playing card.  2.5" x 3.5" and no larger or smaller.  They can never be sold...only traded.  The size is such a tiny venue yet there can be such detail and depth and creativity that I am totally amazed at the results.

This is the wonderful "surprise" package from the last swap.  The theme was "April in Paris".  It was a 6/6 swap.  Make and send in 6 ATCs and receive 6 ATCs in return.  Kimberly always adds a wonderful surprise element to the packages she sends out.

This is a tag that she made and it is fabulous.  The iconic Eiffel Tower denotes Paris, the flower sings April and Bonjour...Tres Chic.

Here are the six I received.  Each little ATC has such personality.  With the contact info on the back of each one I was able to thank each artist via blog or email.  I have even bookmarked new blogs so I can enjoy further creative endeavors from these talented ATC artists.
I would love to show you the ones I created, however I forgot to take photos of them.  I tend to make my batch all very similar rather than each one unique.  Somehow assembly line works better for me and I am able to get them done in a timely manner.  I know how many hours go into each little work of art and I simply adore them.  This tiny little venue is amazing.
I am in for the "Sew Many Flowers".  This time the swap is 3/3.  Please check out Kimberly's blog if you want to join in.  There is plenty of time still in May for making and sending 3 ATCs.  Note to self, I better get busy!
Spring is in full bloom.  The pollen is covering everything in a lovely pale yellow dusting.  Along with the Spring spider webs that drape and hang everywhere outside the pollen even decorates them into very interesting pieces of art.  Just don't breathe any of this soft yellow.  Clouds of pollen erupt when you walk or drive a black vehicle that has sat outside the garage even for a couple of hours.  This is an annual event however I hear the pollen is much worse this year due to our mild winter.  This too shall pass.  I merely pray Mr. C does not get his horrible pollen driven allergy that results in asthmatic bronchitis.   I also hope and pray I don't get my usual pollen driven sinus infection and bronchitis.  This is a very beautiful time of year but also a very dangerous time of year for breathing.  Sneezing and wheezing...
May you enjoy this Mother's Day weekend with family, friends and loved ones.  Anyone who nurtures another human or pet is special.  Celebrate them and yourself.
Creative Bliss to all...

Peace and Plenty...

I have been struggling with making my Farmer's Wife Quilt Along (FW QAL) blocks. I certainly do not need to make them all because my wall hanging is not the size of a king size quilt.  So now I am being very selective as to the actual blocks I am making.  First I select the block from my book.  Then I make certain I have the Marti Michell (MM) template for ease of cutting and sewing.  And my favorite part...selecting my fabrics.  Here I have chosen my focal floral which I love and my favorite blue which I love.  

 This is the template from MM Set A.  This is the only template needed for this block.  You can see it is small as it is sitting on a 4" x 6" canvas which is also the size of a standard postcard.  Very small. Sew to make a finished 6" square I cut 16 of my floral and 16 of my blue.  They are pretty easy to cut with a rotary cutter...just be very careful and do it slowly.  Accuracy is the key to this cutting and sewing of tiny little pieces.

Here is my finished but not yet trimmed block. I find great difficulty still in sewing the little pieces together to get the right finished arrangement.  I did have to un-stitch one part as my pyramids were upside down.  I also see I have a gap on one of the meeting of the points however I am electing to leave it as a reminder of my learning phase.  This block is titled Peace and Plenty.  I agree it took me lots of peace/patience and plenty of time but I am thrilled with the end result.
This FW QAL challenge is a good one for me.  I am realizing what I like and I am knowing that I have choices.  This is also a good lesson for life.  Hmmm...
One block at a time...
Our Spring is in full growth explosion and the pollen is raining yellow down on everything.  It is also raging allergies for those of us who are prone to be affected.  Funny thing is that Mr. C and I never had this allergy until 7 years of living here with the pollen.  That seems to be the magic gestation period.  Now we both have massive symptoms and misery with the pollen each year.  However living here in this beautiful land far outweighs the "short" pollen season.  At least that is what we choose to believe.
May you be creating to your heart's content...

Yes, I Have No Needles...

Have you ever wanted to begin a new project based on inspiration you see on other people's blogs?  Yes, I do.  I was seeing some beautiful embroidery and did not know the name.  Chikan embroidery.  Here is Anita's blog link to see her beautiful work.  I have always loved doing needlework.  I was a child of the sixties and there wasn't anything that didn't get some sort of peace symbol embroidery added to it.  

So I signed up for Anita's free Chikan embroidery lessons.  I printed out the instructions.  Fabric...check.  Hoop...check.  Thread...check.  Embroidery needles number 8 and 6...oops...nope.  I went shopping locally and found nothing.  So I searched my stash of needles.  My goodness is this box full of needles?  

 It is labeled as such and therefore it must be.  Meanwhile I bought this pack of needles as I was told it would work.  Do these people even know what I am asking for?  I think you know how I am feeling about shopping local these days.  They just don't have what I need and using an alternative might not be the best.

Now this is a fine assortment of needles and needle threaders.  I am quite in awe of the different types and sizes.  Some of these are from my grandmother's sewing days.  Some are from my mother's sewing days.  Some are from my days of pinching pennies and buying very cheap supplies.  Oh how I love to travel down memory lane.  I am so sentimental.  Focus.  Now what am I looking for?

 And when I was putting all the needles back into the box feeling sad that I didn't have exactly what I needed for my newest project Chikan embroidery Aha!  This tiny little package appeared.  This must be quite old by the price on it...19 cents.  Some of the needles are missing.  I don't know a 3/9 but at least 8 and 6 are between 3 and 9.  Will these work?

Then I went to the thread bin and oh yeah...lots of embroidery threads in lots of colors.  

So I gathered my supplies and that is as far as I got.  Why can't I start this project?  What is holding me back now?  Maybe I just lost my inspiration.  Anita is a wonderful teacher.  I have seen several of my blog friends complete their pieces of art.  How beautiful each of theirs turned out.  Maybe I shall wait until I get bitten again by the needle and thread urge to try something new.  Anita thank you for being so patient.
For now all my time is being utilized outdoors in the pollen pulling weeds.  This is an endless job...like painting the Golden Gate Bridge.  Once you get to one end you turn around and begin painting all over again.  I certainly have no lack of wonderful weeds to keep me busy and entertained.  Other than getting up and down it is quite therapeutic and relaxing.
May your week be wonderful and filled with joyful endeavors...

Cars to Crocheting...

 Anyone who knows me or has been following my blog knows I LOVE cars.  The rarer the more I love them.  I can honestly say I am a car whore.  I always have been but only now that I am in my senior years is it okay to admit it.  This past Wednesday Mr. C and I drove to our little town about 10 am to see any cars that where to stop by on their way to Napa.  This is the California Millie Miglia and I was excited.
I did see two cars that I had never seen before in all the shows I have attended.  This top photo is a 1935 Lagonda and it was amazing.  Mr. C can be seen talking with the owner and I was surprised at his youthful age.  He was quite pleasant and willing to share the details of his unique car.

 This is another first for me to see.  A 1959 BMW 507.  Very rare indeed.  Did I say there were amazing cars and drivers who kindly stopped and talked with us?  These cars are very rare and very expensive.  We saw at least two dozen but I didn't take photos of them all.  Mostly I was standing with my mouth dropped open is awe...or I was waving to the drivers as they drove by either looking to park or leaving for their next destination.  The cars where unbelievable and it was a couple of hours of pure enjoyment.  The weather was perfect...sunny and light jacket cool.  
Someday you may find me as the town greeter just standing on a corner waving to anyone and everyone...kind of like the one you may have seen in Laguna Beach years ago.  He just beat to a different drum if you know what I mean.

Now for the crocheting...I have made a couple more of the crocheted necklaces.  I wore the first one I made and it was a dream...lightweight and just the right pop of color and interest.  I got lots of compliments.

My photo skills are truly lacking as the colors are not true.  The first necklace is more red and black.  This one is a beautiful grey and blue and silver.  These will be perfect gifts for mailing as they weigh nothing.  I finish mine with ribbon ends and magnetic clasps for ease of putting on.
Our weather turned back to cold, dreary, grey and rainy drizzly Thursday and today.  I like the rain for my plants but why is it so cold again?  I hear sunshine is in order for this weekend and next week.  Yay.
I am catching up with laundry and house chores after having company for eight days.
Now I shall find some time to play in my studio and sewing room.  After all...play is my 2012 word.
Blissful Creating to each and everyone...

Cherished Handsewn Doll...

This is Sherry Anne.  She is a handmade hand sewn doll that was made in my likeness.  When I was five years old my mother brushed and braided my hair before I was to walk to Kindergarten one day.  However my hair had gum tangled in it and of course my mother is trying to hurry and I am screaming and well...my mother took the scissors and cut off my beautiful long blond braids right at the hair line so the rubber bands were still holding my braids together.  (Yes, to this day I am still traumatized by what she did to me.) This is my real hair on the doll. She is in this little keepsake frame but it really is too small so I think I should get her a proper fitting home.  

Here is Sherry Anne out of the frame.  Unfortunately she is very dirty and unkempt due to my younger sisters playing with her when I was not at home to keep her safe.  This doll is so cherished to me because not only is my real hair on her as I wore it but a wonderful elderly lady who was paraplegic and in a wheelchair hand sewed her from scratch.  I do not know her name and she is long gone by now but I do remember her kindness.  She lived across the street from us.  When my mother cut off my hair she gave it to this woman because she made dolls for the children who were in the local hospital.  I have no idea how many dolls she made with my hair but I can assure you there was a lot of it as I have very thick hair and it was down past my waist.

Here you can see a little better of how my braids looked when I was five.  

 Look at this tatting she did and put on the edges of the hat, dress and pantaloons.  I am in awe and must learn to tat just to honor this treasured skill.  None of the hand stitches are perfect but I love them because of the love I know this lady sewed into every part of my doll and every doll she made for the hospital children.

Yes, I did have blue eyes.  Through the years they have turned true hazel so sometimes blue, green, grey depending on how I am feeling or what I am wearing.  Look at this hand embroidery work.  So precious.

Here I have lifted her skirt, her slip with lovely lace and this stiffer petticoat layer to show you her pantaloons and her little tiny feet.  All hand stitched.  So much care and time and love in this little doll.  I cherish her!

I have always wished I could have thanked that wonderful lady who made Sherry Anne.  I do know in my heart she knew how happy she made me when she gave me this beautiful hand made and hand sewn doll in my likeness and wearing my long blond braids.  For all this doll has been through she is in amazingly good condition.
I am linking up with Donna of Brynwood Needleworks for Memory Lane Monday (week).
We are having beautiful Spring weather.  Lots of sunshine and blue skies.  Mr. C's grown son has just been here visiting for a week and it was so great to enjoy his company.
May you be enjoying your creative spirit and whatever makes you happiest...