More party pictures...

I'm posting again!

I'm sorry I haven't posted anything for two months, but I was focused on one thing only...my tea party. That took place yesterday and was wonderful! It was so good to reunite with these friends from high school. It was even better that a current friend from where I live volunteered to be our maid. I was able to stay seated and chat with my friends and fully enjoy the tea. Thank you so much Carolyn for that lovely gift! Here are a few pictures of the decor I came up with during the two months prior. Please let me see your comments!

SISTER JANE goes vintage!

Hi everyone!  I hope all of you have a great mother's day weekend!  I'll be mixing it up with my knit/crochet group tomorrow and try to finish a new purse I've been working on.  It's a bag with Sister Jane on it and she's wearing a vintage dress.  She developed the itch to wear it from me as I'm hosting a vintage tea party in July!  We'll all be dressed vintage like and wearing hats!  I can't wait to see everyone!  These gals are some of my high school friends of which I've reconnected with on Facebook.  It's been several years since I've seen most of them.  I'm having so much fun already trying to find a dress & hat for myself, planning the menu and finding unique decorations.  I think I may even place Sister Jane out dressed in her vintage dress and hat!  Here's a picture of the purse with wet paint still on the birdcage she's holding.  I'll be lining the bag next.  If anyone has any tips or ideas or recipes they'd like to share for my tea party, I'd really appreciate it!

Turned out another pillow for myself. I was pretty quick with this one. I like these pillows because they're a great canvas for all kinds of creative styles. I'm going to halt on doing them for myself though. Have too many other projects I need to either start or finish. I like being busy though. I never get bored and keep learning more! Okay, I get a little tired now and then, but I like naps too!

What a wonderful Wednesday!

I finally found time to make something for myself!  The bride in the photo is my grandmother's sister.  We don't know the groom's name or who the other couple are.  I love how the groom's hand was perfectly positioned to hold something like the key I added.  This pillow is on my bed now and looks great!  I'll be making more when I find time again! :)

Yesterday, though gloomy and grey here in Indianapolis, was a wonderful day as I had another visit from my dear friend Jan Zoya.  She's a fabulous artist with unique style.  She gave me a wonderful gift, these shoes.  She made them from a pair of real shoes following a process that was very labor intense.  I was and am in awe.  She brought three different pair for me to see and then choose from.  I'll treasure them forever.

A large project completed with satisfaction!

All three pillow have been completed and for never making pillows before, I'm quite happy with the results! I hope my sister-in-law feels the same. I'll know before too long as they're being mailed to her today.

The third pillow is almost complete!

The second pillow for my sister-in-law is finished!

  I didn't make it to bed last night, but I did accomplish quite a bit on a new pillow I'm working on. I've still more I want to add to it, but am happy with it so far. That's a picture of my Mom and Dad. A good looking couple I think!
  I've not worked on much since last posting because life stepped in and demanded attention. I attended a viewing and funeral for a dear friend. She was the mother of a good friend we made when working. She treated us as family from the moment we met and that was very special. I'll miss her.
  Now it's back to being creative and accomplishing a couple more goals! I think I can finish this pillow by the end of the week! Don't hold your breath though! (ha!) :)

Spring Issue of "Creating Vintage Charm" is out! Have you bought yours?

I'm holding open the spring issue to the pages with my purse!  They did such a wonderful job with the photos taken by my friend Mark Tudor.  The entire issue is simply beautiful and inspiring!  You really should get your copy now!                  

Completed 2 projects and feeling groovy!

I thought I'd ruined the lining for the purse two nights ago.  I sewed the lining separate by putting the pockets on then sewing the zipper in then sewing up the sides.  It looked small.  I put Fray check around the edges and let it dry over night.  I'm glad I waited until the next day.  I pinned the lining to the inside of the purse and sewed it on by hand.  It came out better than I had hoped!  I just need to have more confidence in myself!  I think I do now!  The next day I felt good about trying to put a zipper in by machine.  I did it and it too came out great!  Oh yes, there's room for improvement, but one has to begin somewhere!  "JUST DO IT!" is my new motto! :)                      

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Outside of Pillow is Done!

I'll buy a pillow form tomorrow!

Can't...do any...more! Must....sleeeep! Zzzzzz...

Until I find the fabric I want to line the purse with, I've started working on a pillow.  Now I'll be the first to admit that I AM NOT A SEAMSTRESS! but I decided not to let that stop me from trying.  I will sign up for sewing classes though! :)  So here's what I worked on all day today.  Nothing is sewn down yet except for the picture in the middle.  I wanted to lay everything else out before committing to it.  The pictures will help remind me if as I proceed I forget what I did.  I've got to hit the hay though, have company coming tomorrow!  I'll post the finished pillow and you can judge as to how I did.

Progress on the Purse

Remember the purse I was working on for a distant relative?  Well here's what I've added to the front.  I think the beads on the rose are prettier in person.  I'm going to add some leather lacing around the strap and then line it.  I need to complete this by next month!  Give me some feedback people so I know how I'm doing!

A Surprise Gift for a Friend

I've recently reconnected with some friends from high school.  Gosh that was almost... well, several years ago!  A few are making trips to come visit with me!  I'm so excited!  I decided to make a little something special to give one gal.  I finished my project last night.  I decorated a glass jar for her.  I came upon the idea after seeing other artists wonderful glass jars.  This was my first time, so remember that when you evaluate mine please.  I'll show you the back, but can't show the front or the person it's intended for will know!  Check back with me later on to see the front.

Feeling very motivated to create art!

I took another of the old photos I borrowed and played around with the color and added some clip art.  I really like the result with this one!  I'm going to make it into a small pillow for my bedroom!

The little girl is believed to be a distant relative.  Written on the back is, "Zelda Beatrice Tulhart, age 2 yrs., July 22, 1913".

Photo Fun!

I recently snagged some old photos from my mom to copy and display around my home.  I'm also thinking of using them on future purses, pillows, etc.  Here's an old black and white that I made blue and put in color flowers.  The bride is one of my grandmother's sisters.  She was German.

I played around with the next photo for a friend.  She saw a photo of a sweater I made and asked if she could have it.  This is her in the sweater... 

Well, she lives in a Victorian home and loves everything from that era, so I took a copy of a painting by Harrison Fisher and dubbed her face in.  She loved it! 

New magazine, "Creating Vintage Charm".

The spring issue of this magazine, due out 3/15/2011, will have one of the purses I created in it!

Creation of a purse begins...

Since I have all this new found space in my craft room, I put on a little Louis Armstrong and began working on the purse for a relative.  Here's what I have so far...

The blue roses will be the theme.  I plan to add beads, more ribbon, some needle felting and even some paint yet.  Keep checking in with me to see my progress.

Clean start for 2011!

I'm feeling great!  I've accomplished cleaning and reorganizing my craft room in one week!  I can now move my sewing machine from the kitchen table to the craft room!  As I was cleaning I found some old photos that I printed and framed for around the house.  It feels so good to have accomplished this!  I have MS and having the energy to do anything comes in spurts.  Hope I can hang on to this spurt for a while longer!  

The day AFTER the Super Bowl? Where was I?

I'll tell you where I was.  Cleaning my craft room!  And I'm not done!  I'm working on an order for a felted bag and I need my supplies to be organized.  The last time they were was last November sometime... I think.  I'm awful at being an organized crafter.  I try to make my room look like those in that magazine, "Where Women Create", but just can't seem to get there.  Trouble is I do so many different things, make jewelry, crochet and felt purses, flowers, etc., and I have my computer desk in the same room.  It's handy that way for printing photos and such used in my art.  I used to draw portraits and have thought about getting back to it... but where?!  I out grew this room a long time ago.  I did buy a pretty box today to hold some supplies.  I want to be better this year!  More organized!  Get a creative routine going where I create something every day. 

I did redecorate my home with some fresh spring type pretties.  I realize I have a lot, but it's so hard to part with any of it!  The photos here show part of my bedroom.   There is also a photo of the bag I crocheted and felted.  It's for a family member graduating high school who loves roses of any kind.  She's on my husband's side of the family and I've never met her, but I think with information given me I have a good feel for what she likes.  I'll post more photos of the purse as I work with it.  I have until April to complete it.  Sorry... for some reason I can't upload a picture of my bag right now. :(