Kitties and Foxes!

Last winter I was lucky enough to win one of Lark Crafts giveaways. I won a calendar with patterns and a lot of wonderful felt. I also won the Fa la la Felt book and was thrilled since it has lots of fun designs and things to make for the holidays. I finally got to make some of the cute penny ornaments and did the kitties and foxes. For now I left them as they are, and later I will either keep them as ornaments, or maybe add them to something. The book also has some christmas trees to make, so lots of fun things i can make as gifts for others. The originals are in felt, but I decide to use wool and make them into pennies, so mine are slightly different. They were fun to make and love how they came out.

It's Starting to Look like Christmas!

I was able to finish some things today, so I I have been able to put some things up and finish one project today.
I am keeping simple, since we know how tempting large trees, tinsels and jingle noises to certain furry kitties. I moved the three trees and put them in a corner with some furkins and things that could sit around the tree without getting ruined. It looked nice with the lights on, so I had to go with no flash. I like the dark look though, nice warm feeling. It is hard see, but yes, the toppers are all cats;)



I finished a piece that I found in the Quiltmania magazine. It is a design from Sandy Gervais. Love the issue and the special winter issue is another I want, hope I can find one in our area. I changed a few things on mine, of course. I used an old chenille blanket for the snow and added words to mine. Not sure if I should leave it, like this, or put something on the snow area? I wanted to hang it at the stairs, but I forgot wool doesn't stick to my sticky tape, so need to find a new place. I still have to finish my angel piece, so that can go on the stairs instead.

New Wall Hanging

I seemed to get hit with another cold, this time a light head cold.
I decided to make something for myself, since I was sneezing a lot and it is ok if I sneeze on my stuff;)

I found this design on Primitive Blessings. It is a freebie design and just loved the look, so I made a little piece to hang on my rack. I added a hat from another of her designs, and then added my own things around it. I used old brown yarn for the trees and green floss for the couching. Not sure if I should add ornies, or leave it plain. If you are looking for great primitive designs to make some items as gifts, check out the site. There are freebies and great epatterns.



Since I did not put up a big tree, I went with an alpine and placed it on my cheese box. I put some of the wonderful prim ornies that my friends gave me. You can get alpine trees at the craft store and they are always on sale. I put my Miss Pooties kitty under the tree, but the snowman ornie makes it look like a snowman doll, lol. The horse is something I made years ago. I decided to sand and antique it a bit and it looks great under the tree. If you have older items form when we all made country, a little walnut spray, will do wonders.



I had another wreath and added a fun ornie that my friend sent me and some of my kitty ornies. A great way to redecorate a wreath and use some of my ornaments, that are out of reach or the real kitties;)

More gifts!

My sister sent me a surprise package this week.
Last year she was in a bad car accident and she almost did not make it through the first night.
Thank God, she made it and although it has been a long recovery, she is doing much better.
Being so far away, I wanted to make her something that would make her feel like I was with her, at least in spirit.
I made her an angel quilt with sayings and at the top of the quilt I put an angel with her arms outstretched and hugs.

This was my first real quilt and got me into quilting again. The reason the angel is backwards, is because it is a lap quilt to comfort her and I wanted the angel facing her when she was using it.



She loves that blanket and wanted to send me something and knows how much I love cats and collect cat ornaments.
She sent me two beautiful ornaments to add to my collection. I guess I am going to need two cat trees at this rate;)
I have been busy with a new project and will talk about that soon.

Candy canes and paper trees

Yesterday I hit AC moores and found some fat red and white pipe cleaners.
I grunged them up with walnut and tea and cinnamon and cut them to make mini canes for my feather tree.
My friend joanne made me the tree and tree skirt and I think the prim canes fit perfect with it.



I tried an experiment today with my paper tree and deer. I used a heavier stock and then used antique ink, a tea stain and the green one, to color the paper. It gives a nice look with the color and I have put it on a top shelf so it shows up nicely. I love the antique inks, you can get them in all different colors and they are perfect to antique items. I had to dampen the sponge, I was using, so it blotched a bit. I need to find something better to apply the ink with.

More paper cuttings and a bird ornie

I spent most of my night cutting paper again. These ornaments are usually hung with a string, but I put them in the tree for display. Plus it is late and I am too tired and lazy to string them tonight;) These are from a book by backstreet designs. I hang them from archways and windows, they are great decorations since they are light and can go anywhere.

I also made candy canes. I used red and white pipe cleaners that had a glitter in them. I twisted the two stems together, then folded it and twisted again to get the look that you see. Then I put them in some tea and a bit of java spray which blackens them a bit. Love how they came out and so simple to make.

The wonderful prim snowman ornie was made by my friend, Kelly (Kanknchester).





I made this bird last year, looks great on the tree. It is from a pattern by RK Creations. I used ticking and sewing around the outside edges to give it that frayed look. I buy real ticking and then tea stain it before I use it.

Christmas Decorating

I am one of those who starts dragging out the christmas items, the minute my guests leave on Thanksgiving.
This year we have the new kitty Dora and my sons cat who seems to have decided she lives in the cellar.
Every year I find new cat collectible ornaments and my tree is covered in cats, even the tree topper. Well, with Dora, I decided it was not a good idea to put my collectibles up with her and the hard wood floors.

So, I am going simple this year and using what I have and a few found items. I am trying to keep it simple and prim, but there are just some items that sneak their way into the decor;)

I thought a cheapy walmart tree would be easier and smaller to fit in the space. Now of course I wish I had gone with an alpine tree, but for this year it will do. I added a couple of my ornies and some old ones I made years ago, along with ones from swaps and friends. I put my vine wreath on the wall for now, but I would like to find or make a skinny ladder to go there. It is still a work in progress. I still need to make some vintage ornies from print outs I found on the web. The decor is based on cat proof prim, hehe. If you notice the rocking horse under the tree, that was a repro I bought years ago. The sun has faded the colors and the cats ate off most of the tail, so it looks like a real antique now, lol. The kitty doll is one I made. Someday I will get back into making dolls again.



Here is a simple setting I did with poinsettias and an old cat, I just can't seem to get rid of. The beautiful quilt topper was made for me in a quilt swap.



This is one of my favorite finds. I found it in a plastic bag in a salvation army. It is an old childrens nativity and the tree was with them, so I always put them together. I still need to put up my nativity sets. One my son bought me and I have added to it and the other is a plastic set that we bought after we got married.

New primitive find

Today I wanted to go out and shop and not get mobbed by the crowds or have to deal with the traffic.
I looked online and found a place in Foster, RI called Things Made Wonderful. I was in heaven, lol.
The entire first floor is set up with different rooms filled with primitive goods and the upstairs is filled with booths that have antiques and hand made goods.

I found a new shelf for my wall collection, perfect to put up some ornaments from my collection. The box came with some grubby candles and I used those on the other shelf.



I also dug up a few other things to start my christmas decorations. My husband cut this nativity out for me and I painted it, that was years ago, but it would be fun to make up some more as gifts. I love the simplicity of the set. I think my old shelf needs a new prim coat of painting and antiquing.