2015 Banner Swap...

I am happy to say I am participating in Linda's A Swap For All Seasons 2015 Banner Swap.  It is a monthly swap that you can participate or elect out of depending on your time availability.  Last year I was able to participate in several months of ATC swaps and I was never disappointed.  Thank you Linda for being a wonderful hostess and for sharing great inspirations.

I have received my package from Bev and it is glorious.  Thank you Bev.  You can check out her blog Country Frog Creations.  It is always such a pleasant surprise to find extra goodies in the package.
 

Bev made a beautiful pink card with a tiny little heart brad in the corner.

She also included some fun Heart themed supplies for me to be creative with.  I love them all. Her banner is full of love.

Bev created this with upcycled Disney clothing bits and lots of charms.  I am such a Mickey and Minnie fan that this is perfect for me.  Thank you Bev.  You couldn't have created a more perfect banner for me even if you knew my likes.

Here is the back which she personalized for this swap.  Hearts do make me so happy.

This is the Banner I created and sent to Bev.  Funny how we both thought of hearts.  The only criteria for the banners is that they are 4" x 6" either sideways or up and down and that they be sewn, either by hand or machine or both.  This fits my talents as I love fabrics, lace, ribbons, buttons, beads and sewing.  Bev also has a birthday this month so I included some Sparkles and giftie for her.

Here is another Banner I created and mailed as a surprise.  I have not heard if it arrived so hopefully this won't spoil the surprise.
On another note...yesterday my FaceBook account was hacked and I had no idea until a few friends asked me if I unfriended them and was now re-friending them.  What?  I had been chatting on-line with my daughter and then my sister when this was all happening.  Fortunately my daughter was smart enough to recognize the damage (after she thought I was just lame and had messed up) and blocked and reported to FB.  Mr. C spent the next five hours working on my computer to clean out any viruses that our expensive software didn't catch ( I had two at least).  FB never got back to me or acknowledged me or anything.  I posted an apology to my true friends today and I WILL NOT be posting again.  I had responded to two requests from personal friends to participate in the current ART challenge of posting my art five days and nominating someone else each day.  I did it one day only...yesterday...and no more.  Fortunately my sister Joyce Berube posted her beautiful photography. I am one of the most careful computer users due to Mr. C having very strict rules and reasons about the computers.  They have been his lifeblood and source of earnings for many years.  He has very good reasons and I shall not explain them here (online).  So for me to get hacked is very upsetting and scary.  I even considered not blogging.  What?!!  I can't not blog for I would miss each of you too terribly for words.  I have met such wonderful people and opportunities to share with others and be of help to less fortunate than myself.  It would break my heart to not be able to blog.  I wish for our World to respect others and not invade where they do not belong.  Let Good overcome Evil...Please.
As I type I am happy to report that we are finally getting some really good rain.  High winds that are dangerous but glorious wet rain is falling upon our ground.  I have my lantern ready if the power goes out.  Thank you for all your good thoughts and rain dances.  You are the best followers and friends!
Now I think I shall have a nice warm cup of tea and try to de-stress while doing a bit of hand-stitching.  Creative Bliss...

Stitching "Sparrow" Serenity...

I follow Jenny of elefantz.com blog and I have begun a few little stitcheries she generously shares.

Here is my first completed Sparrow for the Operation Sparrow project.  When I read her post on this I was immediately drawn to create a stitchery and mail it away.  You can read all about it in the above link.  I chose to stitch this one in blue variegated thread by Sulky.  I don't think I will use this thread again as it was not very friendly to stitch with.  I will go back to my favored DMC floss.

Here is my 8 inch square of linen that I have transferred the Sparrow on to.  I think I need stronger glasses and more light when doing this transfer with my light box.

Now that Sparrow is transferred I am beginning my stitching.  Those little letters get very tiny when trying to add thread with a needle.  They are not very easy to read.  If you click on my photos they should enlarge for better viewing.

Here is Blue Sparrow ready for mailing to the Operation Sparrow project.  I will sandwich my stitchery between some good white paper for safe keeping.  Now I feel like doing another Sparrow in another color.  This is an easy project to carry along and work on while waiting for appointments.
I hope you visit Jenny and find out if you are interested in stitching a Sparrow or flock of Sparrows.

Here is my January 2015 Fern garden with my White Camelias blooming.  So pretty to have such gorgeous blossoms in our January "Spring".  Winter has not come yet.  We are hoping Febraury will bring lots of rain and snow to help us get out of drought.
I have lots to share this month as I have been staying very busy.  Cleaning, sorting, organizing, crafty swapping and creating a few things.  You all keep me very inspired and I am very grateful.
Creative Bliss and Heartfelt Hugs...

Clean Slate Sewing Room...

As January 2015 comes to a close I do have something to show for three days of my January.  My sewing room had become such a clutter filled mess I honestly could not see any flat surface for all the piles of projects and fabrics, laces, ribbons and anything else that could be stacked upon.
Even the triple closet was overflowing with stuff.  Where to begin was my dilemma.  So I began with the closet and took out everything.  I found a floor and walls that I hadn't seen in years.  Who knew?

I also found some very interesting frames I forgot I had purchased along the way.  Now the closet is neat and clean and organized.  No photos as I forgot to take those because I was so focused on clearing and sorting and de-cluttering.  I worked non-stop for three full days and now I am happy to say my room is just right again.  I even got the ladder and emptied all the shelves and cleaned and organized my "dust collectors" as Mr. C calls them.  And he is right...there was a lot of dust on them.

I do know how very fortunate I am to have such a luxury space all to myself for sewing.  I remember long ago when I was much younger and had no money.  My only creative space was a tiny little wall hung drop-lid desk that was about the size of a large breadbox.  I painted it bright yellow and put lots of contact paper stick on flowers...after all it was the hippie era.

This room and all the contents really make me happy.  I love to sew and find it very rewarding and relaxing...unless I make a mistake and have to un-stitch and begin again.  I have my wonderful Pfaff sewing machine, my mother's original Baby Lock Serger (yes it is the four threads that MUST be threaded in sequence!) and my old Singer (Japanese plastic model) that I now use for sewing paper and cardstock.  Having each machine out and ready is such a help.  There were years when my only machine had to live in a hall linen closet and could only come out for specific sewing tasks only to be put away again so the only table could be used for dining or paying bills.  How do we get so lucky to have numerous tables and desks and other pieces of furniture that do only one specific thing with no multi-purposing?

I have shared my sewing room here on my blog before and nothing has really changed.  This time I am sharing a fresh clean slate for beginning my sewing projects I have in mind for this year.  These two frames are my view of many gifted items from blogging friends.  These are all from very early on when I was truly amazed that people I didn't even know would share their wonderful handmades with me.  I cherish every piece I have ever been gifted.  I'll share other displays in future posts.
Thank you for indulging my little piece of heaven and for letting me share my joy of working hard to clean and organize.  Oh and did you see my corner window view?  Mr. C built all this beautiful cabinetry (we purchased the Koala Sewing Cabinet)  and window seating for me.
No rain or snow and our 2015 January is the worst ever for precipitation according to the weather gurus.  I am savoring every precious drop of water I use each day.
How will you spend your February?  Hopefully in Creative Bliss...

Disintegrating Paper Repairs...

I truly never quite know what Mr. C will bring to my studio and plop down on the table and say, "What do you have to ...?"  Well honestly I love it when he does this because it means our two creative worlds come together and we collaborate.  Do you have any idea what this black thing is? Well...

Here is a better view.   Now do you know what this item is?  This is the Glove Box from our 1969 Rambler American.  Mr. C is putting the dash board back together and this part is literally  falling apart. It is some sort of black paper/poster board that is very old and brittle and dirty.  Together we had to save this relic.

With trusty black duct tape and Aleene's Tacky glue we put it back together and hopefully it will last another 45 years or so.  Mr. C was able to squeeze it back into the surrounding dash board and so far it is holding its own.  I do realize I have not shared much of Mr. C's project he has been working on and I will do so for certain.  It has been quite the journey.

Last year I participated in several of Kim's ArtJoyStuff ATC swaps.  I was so happy with each and every one of them that when I saw her newest for 2015 I jumped at the chance to join in.  Kim is the most organized hostess and always includes such a wonderful surprise gift with each swap.  Thank you Kim Dear.

Here are my Parisian Beauties for swapping.  I had fun working with matte board, fabric, feathers, laces and rhinestones.  I do hope the recipients like them.
We have been having Summer-like weather.  Of course I love warmer days and lots of sunshine...however this is so not good for our drought conditions.  Maybe we need to seed some clouds as rain dances and prayers don't seem to be helping much.
I am seeing lots of Valentine inspiration and realize that all too quickly January 2015 will be completed and in the history books.  I must admit I have already been creating some cards and ATCs for mailing.  I have also been working on a couple of swaps due in February and will share them later.  Staying busy and creative is at the forefront for me right now. I am truly enjoying Creative Bliss and wish the very same for each of you.  I am grateful for your visits and comments.  This blogging community is Creative Bliss...

Beginning Stitchery Basics...

I have been following a wonderful blog named elefantz written and shared by the very talented Jenny. Jenny has begun 2015 as "A Year of Gentle Domesticity" and this really spoke to me.  In my quest of enjoying every day to the fullest I am joining Jenny in her monthly stitchery subscription and swap. Well...hesitantly I must say as my embroidery skills are very rusty and I left them back in the 70's with flowers and peace signs and the "hippy" movement.  Back then I stitched on everything...shirts, jeans, blouses, hankies...nothing was spared.

I found my light box and got busy.  Did I have the "right" pen...no but that didn't stop me.  I traced one of Jenny's patterns I received in my monthly Stitchery program subscription.  What a treat!

Here I have completed my tracing and I do believe it looks rather like the pattern.  Good news.

Then I ironed on the stabilizer in preparation for stitching with needle and thread.  What?  Really? How could I do that?  "Did I do that?"  (I can hear Urkel saying it to this day!)

Drat!  I immediately tried to pull off the warm stabilizer.  No such luck.  I had ironed it onto the front side of my pattern instead of the backside.  How did I do that?  No saving this piece.  Seems I need to pay much better attention to what I am doing.

Okay here I am tracing the pattern once again.  This time I now have a much smarter pen to use.  It has a finer line.

Here it is all ready to iron on the stabilizer to the BACKside.

Success!  I finally have needle and thread bringing this to life.  I will share the finished project at a later time.  Do you embroider?  Do you have any hints or tips for me?  I am definitely ready for any updates since the 1970's Flower Power stitching days.
We are having glorious weather.  Sunshine and mid 50's F during the days and nights with lots of damp moisture.  We still desperately need rain.  Now the ski resorts are having to close for lack of snow.  This is really sad news for not only economic purposes but truly for our watertables.
I spent Sunday at my local Chamber hostessing the Visitor Center.  When I signed up many weeks ago I didn't realize this past weekend was our annual Film Festival.  Boy was I busy with visitors.  I had families from as far away as New York and Hungary.  Amazing how our little historic town draws people.  I have added the link if you want to check it out and make plans to visit in 2016.
I am hoping you are enjoying your Creative Bliss...I am doing just that.  Being creative makes me so happy.  My sewing machine is humming along.  My paper and punches and glue and ribbons are happily creating Valentines.  What are you creating?  I'll be sharing some things soon.  Blessings and safety to all in icy conditions...