Spooky, How Time Flies !



This project came about because the idea for the main component, the ghost, came to me after I passed large bags of Tootsie Pops at the grocery store.  It was crazy, I walked by them and then suddenly I thought - wow you could wrap those in gauze strips, draw a face on them with permanent marker, and then for Halloween you could spray paint a pumpkin black, make up a bunch of these and stick them in the pumpkin and put it on your porch on Halloween night!  So. I turned around and grabbed two bags.  Once I got home and put away the groceries, I tested out the idea as far as making the ghost, and yes, it took only a couple of minutes!  One of the (many) things I dislike about the heat and humidity in Virginia is that our pumpkins don't last very long at all.  I would have loved to have tried the pumpkin idea, but I had the idea at the end of September and there is no way pumpkin with holes would last a month.  

So I wanted a way to present the ghosts, and I also thought of buying one of those smaller, craft size bales of hay, but they are messy and my cats would chew on them.  I walked around Michael's for inspiration and it finally came to me.  I had everything at home except the clay pots.   

To make the project you must first make the ghosts.  Place a strip of gauze on top of a lollipop, insuring you are even on both sides and grasp the neck. Turn the lollipop and place another strip in the same manner, but now you are covering up a different section of the lollipop.  Continue until the lollipop is as covered as much you like, and that you have a nice amount of "tails"  I clipped the ends in a V or tried to make them look ragged.  I wrapped a small piece of gauze around the neck and tied it.  That's it for the ghost!  Whoops, I just noticed that I don't have a photo of the Styrofoam cone!  That's because it was being painted black.  My dd painted the pot using the foam brush, once it

 dried I cut florist foam to fit the pot and put the Spanish moss around the gaps.  I attached the painted black cone to the florist foam with wooden grilling skewers cut in half, I pushed the cut ends into the center of the florist foam and then stuck the cone on top of them, I used four of them.  I was going to stick the ghosts into the black foam, but changed my mind and put only one on top and set the rest around the pot.  This is now in the front entrance of my house.   Happy Quilting and Crafting!!!



Belated Sep 1XMAS Posting

Here are my belated photos for my belated posting!  I made another stocking to match the first, but made the strips thinner.  Still wasn't satisfied, it didn't look proportional - maybe the fringe is too long, but that was all I could find in the color I wanted.  I also finished a little mini purse, that was actually testing new thread on batiks that I was going to use on a customer quilt, the stitching was good so I wanted to turn it into a little gift!

 I decided to redraw the stocking pattern, extended it a bit and added the pointy toe to go with the fancy Christmas fabric and I LOVE the results!  I think it looks much more proportional and it will go perfectly with the Christmas quilt that I finished earlier this year!  They are my Xmas projects for September, but combined with the matching Christmas quilt, I am hoping it will make a nice wedding gift for a niece who is getting married September of 2013!   I made 5 more fabric memory games, tried an easier technique and it went much faster!  I had some trouble with the pinking shears, but it was still faster!  I also tested a new pantograph pattern on some stash fabric, and then put a matching binding on for a wheelchair quilt, which is the small project for my quilting guild.  And that was September and here it is almost the end of October! 

That's a scary thought! 
   Happy Quilting & Crafting!

 

Nasty Infection(s)!

Not me, thank goodness, just my computer!  It got to the point I could not go online at all and then the machine would shut down even if I (or the children) were in Microsoft word or trying to add or edit photos.  We finally brought it to the "Geek Squad" and after 5 days they called to tell us they were able to get rid of all of the many nasty infections on the computer, and they were going to start repairing all of the damage that was done to Microsoft operating systems.  That was on Thursday, and still no word to pick it up.  I am now on my DH's laptop. which I dislike.  It is so slow and I cannot add photos.  I use my nook to go on facebook and check the weather and my email, but that is limited as well, It won't always let me do everything I want.  On the silver lining side; I have gotten quite a bit done!  Check out the sidebar for OPAM finishes for September!  That doesn't include longarming and making some crafty items for Halloween either!  I also hosted my quilting bee yesterday, and taught them how to cover different containers, it was so much fun and they had fabulous ideas for trims!  One lady covered a shoe box that she uses to hold her notions and it came out great - great idea too!  My next post will have photos of my finishes and also a "how to" for the Halloween project I thought up!    Happy Quilting and Crafting!

August 1XMAS

I am very happy I was able to finish this tonight.  I was hoping to have two completed, but the weekend just didn't work out that way.  Up very early tomorrow to drive 10+ hours to Massachusetts, won't be back until the 27th and didn't want to miss posting my Christmas item on time!  This is an experiment.  I used the pattern I made for the stockings that our Guild made during a Quilt of Valor workshop.  We made those stockings in red, white and blue and they were filled with goodies and presented to Wounded Warriors.  At the time I wondered how to make them fancier, and I think I succeeded!  I think I will make my strips smaller next time, especially the white strips, those bother me for some reason.  Happy Quilting!

A Little Something for Me!

As I prepare for my trip to Massachusetts to celebrate my beloved Gram's 100th birthday . . . yes, 100th! I keep thinking how I haven't used any of the goodies I bought in June, and how excited I was with my treasures! The larger FQ pile is what I bought from Notion to Quilt, my favorite Store in Western Massachusetts! The smaller pile is what my DH bought for me later on from the same store! My sweetheart knows how I love black, white and red! I fell in love with the colorful fabric and knew just what I would do with it.  I have finally started this project, and I chose to use my favorite fat quarter and at the same time recycle a few containers!

The tall container is an oatmeal container that I can easily remove the identifying paper. I use these to hold my Panograph Patterns for my Longarm machine.  The taller nut container will be on my cutting table, to put bits from cutting in, the small nut container will be next to my machine to put threads, as well as serve as my traveling thread and scrap holder for classes and going to my Bee meetings! 

I use 330 grit sandpaper to lightly scuff the other two containers as their paper cannot be removed without damaging the container, it will help the adhesive hold better. I use a paper bag to make templates for each container. Cut them out, lay out onto fabric, then cut.  

I keep this box in the garage specifically for spraying Aleene's All Purpose Tacky Spray (outside) I sprayed a pretty thick coating and then waited about a minute before I started handling it.  I did the smaller ones first, the oatmeal container was the toughest. I added ric rac and ribbons to bring out the colors.  I could use the left over fabric for the lids, but I think I'm going to make something else instead - LOVE that fabric!  My studio feels more colorful already - Happy Quilting!





  

Red, White and Blue WISP Completed

This WISP took longer than expected, considering I started cutting the fat quarters the day I bought the fabric, back in November 2009!  It is the Lucky Stars pattern again and most of the fabric is from a Civil War line (don't remember which one).  I completed the blocks in July 2010, but didn't square them until this July!  But now it is pieced, quilted and bound! This was originally meant as a QOV, but then it was suggested that I present this quilt to my DH upon his retirement from the Army, as he is a civil war buff.  I'll have to think on that since he just received a quilt I made a couple of months ago.  He should not retire for a few years yet, so I may have to think on this a while.  (but not too long!) I used two 2 1/2" strips from the small bit of fat quarter from most fabrics to make up the binding, and I love how that turned out.  I think a mixed binding really works on these quilts since the quilt is so scrappy to begin with.
I used the scraps from the half square triangles to piece together a label.  I would have liked to have made two more stars for the back, but I was out of the background fabric. I couldn't find any more anywhere in my stash and I really didn't want another excuse to delay, so I only made the label.  It looks so lonely!
I am very happy with how the quilting turned out!  It actually went quickly too, considering all the interruptions to ferry kids here and there, feeding said children (repeatedly, continuously)etc.

 Working on a fun little project just for me . . .  Hope I can show it soon!   Happy Quilting!

Technical and Tactical Difficulties . . .

have kept me from accomplishing very much this month in the sewing/quilting area.  Due to frustrating difficulties with my computer I was unable to post about the little bit that I actually got done! At the moment, I am writing this blog on my regular computer, but it was shutting down sporadically until I figured out I can't watch any videos or clips on line,  a software problem of some kind.  I'm going to have to try & figure it out before the entire thing breaks I suppose, but when?  I don't think I have ever driven so much, albeit broken up in small trips, any other summer of my life!  Between the kids sports activities, wisdom teeth extractions, orthodontic appointments, sports, friends, my own physical therapy appts, other medical appointments I haven't been able to finish very much.  I'm still longarming for others, but I'm a bit behind in that too.  I still haven't scheduled the kitties for their shots (overdue now)and have everyone's eye appointments to work out before our trip back to Massachusetts for my Gram's 100th birthday party!! I did not finish a WISP this month and have so much I want to start!! Sigh. On the

bright side, I am happy with the two major finishes, as the idea just came to me while ironing, and I immediately sketched out what I had "seen" in my minds eye and wrote out the basic idea/directions.  As I worked on the project I added the fishnet as a means to hang it up and I am very satified with the way it turned out.  The small one was made first, to test the materials and see if my idea would work.  It is my 1 XMas project for July, it is a gift for my sister who has a beach/seashell sunroom in her house.  The J was meant to be a surprise birthday gift for my dear daughter who turned 13 on the 23rd!  I couldn't find my hubby's staple gun in time, so I finished it up over the weekend after DH dug it out of his garage.  I used a regular stapler and spray glue for my sister's gift.  I sewed a border around the middle panel, sprayed a painter's canvas with Aleenes acid free tacky spray, let it sit, then pressed the fabric wrong side down with my hands.  I glued and stapled the fabric to the back.  I recommend you add the netting before you start to decorate with the shells.  I glued the shells on with a permanent adhesive called Quick Grip.  I had to take this photo on my knees as to avoid a shadow, it is hanging on my DD's door and our hallway is very narrow.  I used twine to tie the fishnet together, and also create a hanging loop.  The loop is much larger on the J.  Here's hoping August is more productive, but I seriously doubt it!  Don't tell the kids, but I can't WAIT for school to start!   Happy Quilting!