WOYWW 225 -- Dollhouse Dreamin' ♥

My dollhouse--freshening up the colors with scrapbook papers and paint.

 Happy WOYWW! I've just been working around the house--my dollhouse that is.

Visit What's-On-Your-Workdesk-Wednesday's blog party.

One day I realized how dusty and stagnant my dollhouse had gotten, and I wanted to give it a total refresh. I also decided I wanted to create a little craft studio in my dollhouse--although many of my furnishings have been traditional.

Divider screen for the craft studio--paint and then decoupage on plain cardboard!

Then, I was staring at my scrapbook papers--some of my newer fun, pretty ones, and it hit me! Wallpaper with my favorite scrapbook paper! Put little sayings I like on the walls! Paint with abandon! Sew cool curtains and pillows. Knit cute kitchen rugs. Make little flags and buntings!

After the modpodge dries--wrap the border in washi tape and done!

So here I am--suddenly obsessed with a new project. Lord help me. But it is oh so fun.

How the craft room dividing screen looks after decoupage and washi tape.

My work is cut out for me now--there is plenty of sewing, gluing, and painting to do for the next couple of weeks. I love it! I can do a little each day. What is really fun about this whole thing is that I'm starting to feel like my dollhouse is turning into a living scrapbook in a way, with all the beautiful scrapbook papers I'm using for wall paper--there will be stamping around the base of it--cute pictures and papers framed for the walls--no limits! I have seen some blogs where people are afraid to try these things on their dollhouses...they think they have to be so careful and traditional. Really though, if something doesn't work I just paint or glue over it--no biggie. It's just a dollhouse.

I took off those nasty dust-catching shingles--painting the roof periwinkle!

So...you might be seeing this project on my workdesk for a while. It's one of those things that combines everything--sewing, scrapbooking, decorating, painting (it's been perfect painting weather) and even a little mini carpentry work! I'm doing a tiny quilt for the cast iron sofa (which once lived in my dollhouse I had as a little girl) and there will be flowers, vines and ribbon on the outside too. It is going to live in a new location on my greenhouse sunporch, so the floral effect will be perfect.

I don't know why I'm such a nut about dollhouses--but this little dollhouse story may turn into a book before it's all done! Have a great week.


Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Play

Sunday Threads

How great are your works, Lord.

Psalm 92:5

Wearable Art Scissor Holder

I love having my little stork scissors handy when I am embroidering...or even knitting or working at the sewing machine. Although now I have a sewing machine with the automatic cutting feature (finally), I still need to snip threads while I'm working.

This little embroidery scissor necklace is made of embroidered felt, a crocheted chain, and a couple of grommets. Easy peezie!

I just began by cutting two pattern pieces to fit the scissors I want to use it for--which are my little gold stork scissors. I embroidered some easy flowers on the front section, and then appliqued a little butterfly and did some loopy embroidering on the top of the back section. I made the grommet holes, then stitched the two sides together with a blanket stitch and light pink embroidery floss. I used a fun yarn to crochet a chain...and done!

Cutting out a little pattern

The two pieces are cut from white felt

Embroidering the front--doodle stitches

Playing with both pieces

Easy supplies for this little project

I can also tuck some floss into my little scissor holder--my projects sometimes travel around!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch Happy

WOYWW 224--A little of this and that

Happy What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday! I've been in my own little corner in my own little chair trying to teach myself crochet! However, my desk is busy with a little tag making, and I had just finished up a scissor holder necklace (I'll post that story Thursday). It's just a busy week, and there's a mosquito flying around me right now, and daughter and I just finished watching a movie, Easy A. Life is good...and I hope I see your desk in the morning!

I can't live without my hole punch grommet maker!

Found my little organizer thing, and I'm filling it with mini projects for on the go!

Eat, Write, Dream, and Stitch Happy

Spread Your Wings and Fly Away to Tag Tuesday

Today on Tag Tuesday, the theme is "Wings."

Click here and fly away to Tag Tuesday.

There are some beautiful winged tags on the blog today--if you've made your own theme tag, leave a link to it in the comments so every can see!

I must be more of a butterfly lover than I realize because I have lots of butterfly themed scrapbook papers and fabric in my stash! I especially love this paper--I wish the sparkle showed up better, it's so pretty.

And, of course, I always look for a good reason to sew a button onto something! Have a great Tuesday!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Tag

Sunday Threads

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
♥♥♥

A Perfect Summer's Day at Last

We are about to kiss Summer 2013 goodbye. I'm relaxing with my little laptop, and thinking of all the best moments. Summer lovers must be a little sad--although we've all had our weather roller coasters, the last bit of August was absolutely beautiful here in the Ozarks, and September has heated up enough to keep my tomatoes and my tan going--why would I want to bid all this heaven farewell?

There are things I love about fall like wearing sweaters, making apple pies, decorating pumpkins, and hot cocoa on a crisp fall day, it's true. 

But it will all have to wait one more moment while I reminisce about my summer. I stumbled upon a sweet summer memories blog post, which made me think it's time for another. I had posted this one in July of that year, and it was kinda fun.

♥ Read Cats and Quiches

 This year we were not able to travel...and I didn't even really have my deck to sit out and sip coffee on because it is all torn up right now! I've been looking forward to a new deck for a while. So, things are not perfect, but that's no excuse not to find some bliss. 

These are a few of my favorite things from this summer.

I found a new cozy corner on my greenhouse sunporch.

We actually grew pumpkins this year! We've already harvested the first big orange one. It was great weather for the squash family.

My aloe vera plant (which has now been moved to that new cozy corner) is huge!

My front yard flowers have been amazing. In the flower box hubby built for me many moons ago, are marigolds grown from seed, impatients, and pink lavender.

My mailbox garden was grown from seeds...marigolds and zinnias.

I made blueberry muffins with real blueberries! So yummy. I'll post this recipe soon, I promise.

I finally went to the new location of the FM Store--my favorite fabric store. I just get lost in there dreaming about all the things I'm going to make! This time I was picking out a chair covering. Here's a few fab pics!

I actually knitted a lot this summer. I finished a patchwork knitty quilt, and I'm almost finished with the second piece of my knitted tank top. Woo hoo!

Minnie is hanging out with me right now, telling me her best moments of summer. ♥ She loved my daughter being home and constantly hanging out in her room--especially when she has friends over!

I love wearing summer shirts and shorts much more than cold weather clothes! Almost all the shorts I wear have embroidery on them! Embroidery is how I tatoo!

Speaking of wearable art (embroidery in particular) I found my Mexican dress! A dear friend actually bought it for me in Mexico and it is filled with the most amazing embroidery...gorgeous! My daughter thinks it looks like a blue tent on me, but I don't care because I'm so in love with the embroidery. What a nut! I need a good photo of it and soon. ♥

I discovered "earthing" the simple act of walking barefoot on the ground to transfer the earth's free electrons (the most potent antioxidants) into your body. It sounds so simple--too simple almost. But there are places in the world, like in Austria and Switzerland, where there is a tradition of getting up in the morning and going barefoot. What will I do when it's too cold outside?

I'm still eating, cooking, and canning tomatoes fresh off the vine. Nothing like it, period.

I decorated my typewriter! Might as well...only four ribbon cartridges left before it gets upcycled!

Finished the butterfly scarf--it will be fun to wear this fall and winter. Now that's something to look forward to!

I became a contributor to Tag Tuesday. I love making tags, and they have so many uses. Being a part of Tag Tuesday is just more motivation!

My hubby's in an awesome show at the Little Theatre, but still took time to go to a lovely craft fair with me!

I started making mood boards - fun! Kinda like inspiration boards. And I've turned Pinterest into many inspiration boards for myself. Love it. Join me on Pinterest! (see my link at the top right)

I made pink lemonade a lot. Yum.

I made an upcycled summer art journal using vintage file dividers for the covers--very cool.

Read Upcycled Art Journal here.

I did a lot of reorganizing in my crafty corner!

Don't forget to write down what you loved about this summer, whether you blog about it, put it in your art journal (I'm putting mine in there too), or just make a list--it's really fun to look back on and makes you remember all the things you love about your life.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Summer-at-Home



















 

Craft Fair Inspiration

Inspiration can arrive from the most surprising places sometimes, even when you're not looking for it. But sometimes you have to go after it. So I found this beautiful little artisan craft fair this past weekend, and the combination of fresh air, a little exercise, and visiting with beautiful crafty artists definitely inspired me. It was a warm weekend for September here in the Ozarks--but a little extra sunshine didn't keep these artists from sharing their creations.

I'll share a bit of what I saw. 

I met a lovely lady who raises her own alpacas and spins the wool! She bought this beautiful spinning wheel, slightly used, for $500. She spins some and sends some to a local mill to make these beautiful blended yarns of alpaca and bamboo. A knitter's dream. I think I'd like to try spinning someday.

The whole craft fair was splashed with quilting boothes, quilting guilds, and art quilts hanging everywhere. Loved it.

I had to buy some of these dishcloths--even though I make my own--they were adorable.

This artist made all their signs from used pallots--pretty cool.

Found all kinds of creative knitting kits in this booth--bought my daughter a spool knitting kit. She's a knitter, and she can't wait to try it.

Isn't this yarn gorgeous? I wanted all of it! But at $21 a skein, I couldn't quite have all of it. This lady made her 100% wool yarn from her own flock of sheep. What a dream. 

One year I grew a lot of gourds and it never once occurred to me to turn them into aloe vera planters! (I also grow aloe vera plants on my greenhouse all year long) This booth had a lot of gourd art, besides these fabulous planters, and some great information about growing gourds.  But as an aloe vera person, I was especially drawn to this planting display--couldn't take my eyes off of it!

I have always been fascinated by lacemaking--maybe it's because I can't even imagine having the patience to figure out a lace pattern and where to wind all those bobbins! When I stumble upon lacemakers I tend to ask them a lot of questions (I know, I probably annoy them) but they always tell me wonderful stories. And this time one of the ladies explained that the reason why they put those flat bead rings on their bobbins is so that they don't flip over while they're working with them. Genius, of course. I find the bobbins fascinating because I love working with beautiful tools myself. ♥

Just look at these beautifully beaded lace bobbins!

Look at that roll of lace she's made!

Next were the blacksmiths and woodworkers.

A very large lathe

handmade

These were so cool.

I really loved seeing all the fabric some of the artists worked with to make their goods--at one of the booths I finally found something I had been looking for! A catch-all to rest on my worktable--it can be used for just about anything.

Me and hubby having fun at the craft fair.

I bought one of these and it's awesome--but I should have gotten several, for me and for Christmas gifts. What was I thinking? At this point I was a bit hot, we had been walking around for a while. I should have gotten a corndog and thought it over!

So, just a note, if you are at a craft fair like this and happen up something this fantastic, go ahead and do your Christmas shopping! 

Finally I found the embroiderer's guild. What lovely ladies--I really need to go to one of their evening events. I have to giggle because I was wearing a pair of my own hand-embroidered cut-off shorts and so when they asked me if I had ever embroidered, I simply said, "why yes" and modeled my shorts! They laughed, and said, "oh yes, you do embroider."

A great thing about this festival is that it was free! The next one I want to go to is a bit pricey--but by then I think I'll need another day of fresh air and crafty art inspiration.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Play