My Cute Stocking!

Isn't this just the Cutest stocking? I belong to an online group on WA State quilters and this year I participated in a Santa Stocking exchange. This one I got from my Secret Santa was made from recycled blue jeans. It was sewn shut across the top so I couldn't peek until Christmas morning!

So much fun to have a stocking to dig through! It was chocked full of fun little quilt themed gifts. A sweet table runner in yellows with tea pots, a recycled jean purse, scissors, thread, pottery cup and a magazine.. fun, fun! I look forward to participating again next year!

Wanna Play?

After much research and deliberation, I have chosen a Janome Jem Platnum as my tool of choice for my future sewing projects - Oh My!! I am SO happy with it so far. It's so smooth and sleek - I just want to pet it! LOL... Stay tuned for amazing creations!!

She's making cards again!

If you read my other blog (tad-n-tina) then you would have read about my adventures during the local spring home tour. I took pics and decided to make each homeowner a thank you card. I think they turned out so nice! I hope they like them!

:o)

A few of my Favorite quilts...

I thought I'd take a few pics of a few of my favorite quilts.. The first one (photo above) was made for me by my best friend Mardi. It's a tied lap quilt made with flannels. I took this one with me all the way to Mexico. Boy! Did it come in handy on those cold nights out sailing from one destination to another. Now it's on my couch! Where it stays...

The next one (below) is one I made for my daughter's hope chest. It was a collaboration of my local quilt guild, called a round robin. I made the center, then each person involved added a border around in complimentary fabrics. I learned so much by doing this quilt! It sure turned out precious ..





Last but certainly not least is a quilt my grandmother hand pieced and quilted. She made this when I was a young girl. It is made from scraps of fabric that used to be my aunt's dresses.

She gifted it to me when I first married. I love it because I remember it laying on my grandparents bed after she first made it, she was just so proud of it. Rightfully so, it is beautiful. She made me promise to use the quilt and not just keep it tucked away .. I use mine and both of my children also have quilts from her that are well loved.



Thanks Grandma - you inspire me to be a better mother, partner, woman and seamstress! I Love You!

A Year Already?

Wow .. it's been a whole year since I started this second blog and I haven't done much with it. Maybe it's because most of the past year has been focused on other people instead of feeding my crafty self. Anyhow, I thought about deleting it but I am finding that I again have some time to do some art. My future 'studio' was taken over by a teen for awhile but it will be mine again soon -*dream*- and I will be creating a new space for my crafting & quilting :o)

Onward HaikuSailor!!

The Gift of Giving

I'm patiently waiting to create the most extraordinary crafting space in my new home. I have the whole vision in my head. A closet full of containers and papers, glues, glitter, recycled cool things, stickers and more! A long 6 foot table, all for me to play and make paper messes! Photos on the wall and lots of inspiration! *bliss*

Since that area has not been established (waiting for carpet install on the 14th!) ~ I have been fitting in a bit of crafting fun on the kitchen table. I had a few 'thanks yous' that needed to be sent last week and so I broke out the supplies!

The first one (above) was for my friend Jess. I had picked up a pack of cards from the dollar store and redecorated them. For this card I used a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" piece of cardstock and glued it to a page of old phone book paper from my new home town. I added a sweet fabric sticker atop and viola! Neat huh? and easy, it was so cute!



Next was one for my little buddies Layn and Garrett. The sent me a pic and a singing file to my phone for my birthday! I adored my special gift (it's still on my phone!). So I made them this little thank you card. Same concept as the previous card but this time I printed out the pic and attached to the cards using these sweet little brads that I had in my stash. I added the music note stickers to represent them singing. It was SO cute!! I sure hope they like it ~ their smiles really brighten my day!

So, that's my little crafting fix! I hope both recipients enjoy having a special surprise in their mailbox. I think snail mail can be so much more fulfilling for both parties. The best gift you can give yourself is the gift of giving :o)

Recommit or Quit

Recommit or Quit! Twice a year, every 6 months, in June on my birthday and January on New Years, I take inventory and start fresh. I look at the things that consume my time, my life, my energies and I re-evaluate their importance to me.

This allows me to contemplate how I spend my time on this earth. I have dedicated my time to, as Oprah would say, 'Live My Best Life' and the things that are no longer enticing or education or bringing me great joy are omitted from my time and are replaced with delight directed activities.

This Birthday ~ I have quit sailing and a lifestyle of living aboard and abroad. It was no longer giving me joy but causing great strains on important relationships. So, I quit. I don't miss it either. This was a huge omission and freed up an unbelievable amount of energy and time! :o)

I have committed myself first of all to nurturing my relationships with people I love. It brings me indescribable joy to love my partner Tad, My children Cody & Lindsay and to reach out to long time friends and special family members. I want to try to go back to some old fashioned snail mail correspondence and dabble in my art & photography. I want to learn about the plants here at my new home and do some gardening, recycling and landscaping. I want to cook and bake and do some canning. So for now I am rededicating myself to my family, friends, art and homemaking skills as we prepare our beautiful new home to bring in our loved ones and make new memories.