Crafternoon Tea

I have a friend who makes the cutest jewelry. You can see what she does by visiting her etsy shop, Button Willow Jewelry. Not long ago she asked if I would do a "craft night" with her. I was thrilled. I have wanted to do something like that for a while, and sometimes we need someone to help us move our ideas out of the thought bubble and into reality. It is actually going to be a "Craft Afternoon / Afternoon Tea". I am so excited about it. We are going to make wool flowers, and some simple earrings.

Some little sample flowers I have been working on.

 

I am using this book as a reference. It is a great little book.

The gallery of flowers is awesome. I do wish the instructions were a little more detailed. When I was learning to sew many many many years ago, I followed the pictures on the sewing patterns more than the written instructions. Now I am a little more patient, and do read the directions, but this book has mostly the written kind in a separate section from the gallery of photos, and might be challenging for a beginner.

Max is sad about his lack of apposable thumbs. No crafting for him. 

If you are a local friend and want to come, you are invited, just let me know you are coming. (This Saturday,

4/14 at 2:00 pm)

Babies and Bunnies.

Well, one baby that is. Our granddaughter was finally born 11 days after the due date. We went down to see her when she was one week old. She is so very sweet and well worth the wait.


 


As I wait for some slipcover job details to come together, I have been working on projects for my Etsy shop. I just listed one more Bunny, and will be adding a new Lingerie / Pajama Bag tomorrow.





I forgot that I had included the seam allowance in my pattern when I cut this bunny out, so he ended up a little bigger than the others. (More to hug.)





It’s just about time to break out the spring jammies, right?

A good week for enjoying grandchildren.

The baby girl grandchild we have been waiting for was born on Wednesday. She's a little one, 5 pounds, 12 ounces and very cute and sweet.

On Thursday my daughter, Raya, and her husband and son came for a visit. 

Our grandson had fun sitting on the little couch that my son (father of the new baby)  gave me a few years ago. I will make tiny slipcovers for the little couch one of these days.

Here he is feeding the stuffed kitty.

Now it's naptime.  It was so cute to hear him tell the kitty "Sweet dreams".

 

It was WILD!

I had the opportunity to take part in a "holiday home tour" fundraiser. The Berries and Branches tour is in the nearby Salinas area, and one of the decorators I have the privilege of sewing for, asked if I wanted to participate. This year it was based at the
Vision Quest Bed and Breakfast at the Vision Quest Ranch.
I have heard of this Bed and Breakfast in the past, and was told that there were wild animals there (as in jungle types) and that if you stay there the elephants bring breakfast to you in a basket. When I first heard of it, I just tilted my head to the side, like dogs do, and gave it a little scratch. When I think of Salinas, I imagine unending fields of Brussels sprouts, lettuce, artichokes and the like, never zebras. Not many people I have talked to had heard of it either.






Well, it does exist, and you can see one of the tent cabin bungalows in the background in this picture. The decorator I worked with, Cindy Hattersley, decorated one of the two bungalows on the tour. There were several nearby houses featured and a spa that I didn't make it to. The spa is in a restored Queen Anne home that was built in 1890. I really wanted to see the Chateau Coralini Retreat and Spa, but the work was piling up on my sewing machine at home, so I had to skip it.



I snapped this porch arrangement before someone spotted my camera.
I wasn't allowed to take pictures in the homes, which were beautiful, and beautifully decorated by many talented local designers, but I did get some of the cute little canvas cabin.



Her theme was "a stay in the hunting lodge of French hosts, while on safari at the turn of the century". I made most of the pillows, the ottoman covers and of course, the white linen slipcover on this unique little wing chair.






I love opportunities to get to know the area that I live in. There are a couple of gift shops in Salinas that I can't wait to visit!

Wedding Trunk Show

Well, as promised, here are some pictures of what I have been working on in my spare time for Colleen's Wedding Trunk Show. It will be at her store, Saffron and Genevieve, on Saturday, February 21st.




I have been having fun making ring bearer pillows with some things I've had around for a while, like a beautiful old quilt with only small areas that were not stained or torn, and some sweet vintage millinery flowers.





And I finally figured out a use for those odd shaped crocheted pieces....you know the ones (were they once collars?)..... a little bride's purse, or maybe a money bag. Since I was sewing it to a lining fabric, I just cut off the odd shaped parts.



And I love anything with a bird on it.

My plan is to open an ETSY shop with whatever I have left over after the sale, along with some other surprises I am working on.

Movin' on down the road.

Max in his Mexican sombrero, getting back to his roots.



Wow, I haven't blogged for a month. The last two months have been pretty eventful. I decided to list a few things that have happened.


Husband lost job.

Husband got new job.

Went on a week long cruise with a group of family members (total of 15 of us.) I now know that the term "ship-shape" means being shaped like a ship, because they are always offering you food.

Picked dog up from kennel with a royal case of kennel-cough. (He is finally mostly well,after almost 3 weeks.) We decided that it will be his last kennel experience.

Fed my grandson his first taste of carrots while he was with me, on a day that my daughter photographed a wedding. I'm not sure he likes carrots.

Had a computer crash incident and went without a computer for a week or so while our very generous and gifted son-in-law repaired it.


...This is not a complete list and I will say this...being among the "getting older" generation doesn't mean that life gets dull.

Trying to catch up.

The pictures from the rehearsal dinner are here on Raya's blog.

I am now trying to get caught up on all the sewing projects that are filling up my work space.



Max has turned to the stuffed kitty on my newly slipcovered chair for company because he can see that I am way too busy to spend much time with him.
" Be patient, Max, and we will go to the B-E-A-C-H soon. Oops, I forgot you know what that spells."

Whew, busy week!

I spent a good part of the week working on some really cute chair covers designed by Colleen. They each had a reverse applique on the inside back and white twill tape at the hem. Very nice, but of course, I forgot to take my camera when I delivered them, so this is the best picture I have.
What is it with me and that camera? I guess I need to make it into a necklace so that I will have it "on me" when I need it, or better yet, put it on my key ring.



I also hosted a tea party in my backyard this morning, so I spent a lot of time this week rounding up the necessities. (I had a lot of help from the ladies who came.)




There is a family from our church who are missionaries in Chile. They are a swimming/surfing family. They run a swim center down there, and every summer come here and run a surf camp/school. We have the privilege of having the wonderful, energetic wife and mother (of five) as a guest speaker each summer at some type of gathering. Last year we had a clothes swap...fun!




The tea was a lot of fun and people brought some amazing treats. I didn't get pictures of the food table before we attacked it. I was fussing over my "Martha Stewart leek quiche" which was a big hit, by the way, so if you need a good recipe, it's on her website.




I am going to go and put my feet up now and enjoy the clean house and sweet little leftover bouquets.





I wonder if the husband will be okay with scones and biscotti for dinner.