Friday Finish!

This week I wanted something new to do but something that didn't take too much work. I decided to remake a bunny from my Bunny Buddies pattern. This time I went with bright and fun, using old scraps and floss from the ones I got for the kids to make bracelets. It is also a bit larger than the others, so a fun piece to decorate with. I actually made it for my sister, who is going through medical problems and I wanted to make her something happy to cheer her up. She had asked for some when I first made them, so I hope she likes this new version.

I added the background and the pink bow with photoshop AI. I still have to get out to the craft store to get some pink ribbon before I send it. I have a link to my patterns on the left side column.

Last week I wanted to go back to find the elusive rare bird. We didn't see it, but on the way back out, we saw a bunch of cars and cameras pointing toward the field. It took me awhile to find it, but finally with the help of others, I was able to catch it in the back field. This is a Northern Lapwing, usually found in Europe and Asia. 

We also spent time at the beach, where Bean can enjoy some play time and I can enjoy the views and birding.

Lots of Common Eiders this year.

At home, more birds are leaving and our regulars will be returning. I seem to have a new visitor, a Red Squirrel. This one is a new one, it is living in the neighbors yard and I usually spot two of them, running around the wood piles.

I am still unable to walk much. Today it was shopping in my light hikers but it killed my foot, so no walking on the beach. We have beautiful weather this weekend, so I hate that we can't get out for hikes. With the cooler temps it is perfect to be in the woods and bug free. I hope everyone is doing well with the bad weather conditions that come through. 

Merry Christmas Finishes!

This week I took it easy and worked on some new projects. I just wanted some down time to make things for fun and not think about anything else. Last year I made a mitten with a pattern from The Teacher's Pet. This year I used the same pattern and made some punched ornaments and another felted ornament with a few changes.

I reduced the pattern to make the ornies, perfect size for my pencil tree. For the back I use a piece of wool. I like to keep them bright instead of staining, since I may regift them later and my sister who loves snowman has a tendency to buy my snowman pieces when she comes to visit.

I also made it in a felted version. I used a loose weave piece of wool and punched the snowman and hat. For the scarf, I felted in a bit to tack it on, then I did stitches to keep it from falling out. If I over felted it, it would fall apart, and I wanted a 3D effect. A few buttons and a felted cuff and it was all done.

We have snowy weather coming in and I am hoping it stays further north, since we are going to the kids. Just in case, I decided I better buy some extra food in case we get stuck at home. 

This is the house I grew up in, it was one of the original farm houses in the area. May the light of love  shine on you and your families and your home with blessings.

Friday Finish!

This week I worked on a  new punch needle piece. My friend gave me a few from her old stash and she knows I love patterns by Brenda Gervais of Country Stitches. The bunny was a perfect one to do for spring.

The original pattern is set on a wooden board, but I wanted to do something different and make mine into a pocket. I like how it came out and it looks nice hanging from my peg rack. I added a thicker piece of wool yarn around the edge and used that as the hanger.

I also finished the ties on my quilt, now I just need to trim the edges and add binding. The triangles are done with hand stitching and then I used the ties along the middle of the strips. 

You may remember the post were I showed you my messy rooms. Well, now I am thinking it would make more sense and be more efficient to change the rooms. I hate to move my beach room, which was my daughter's room, but it is longer and I think it will hold the machines and table much better than the more square room. So, I am measuring and thinking it out and if I do that, the beach room will be upstairs and become a guest room and the small room will be my room to relax and create in, as well as a play area for the kids. I can get floor couch chairs that make into beds so they will also have a place to sleep when they visit. You can see the rooms on this post, what do you think?

It looks like a cold weekend, so no walks, but hopefully we can get out and enjoy some time outside for short periods. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Friday ( un) Finishes!

This week I have been working on and off, on different projects. One is a new punch needle design that I am working on, today I finished the main design, now I just have to add a border. It is always nice to see a piece in a photo, then I can decided what I do and don't like about it and of course, it always looks better when I antique it;) I think the hands need more definition, but overall I am happy with the piece.

A bit late for Valentines, but I was inspired by an antique fraktur and wanted to make this piece.

Another thing I have coming up is, my son's birthday. We gifted him money to pay for some things for his house and a loan to do the rest, so no big present, but I wanted to give him a little something. I found a nice frame and made up photos of Nicholas to hang in his office, he can change the photos when the new baby comes, but I liked the idea of doing 3 of Nick, just being a boy and having fun. The photos are 5" x 7", so today I learned how to adjust my photo sizes in photoshop;)

I always found some beach frames for my new room. Someday I will use the room, but for now, I am happy just decorating it and making things for it. I found a nice barn wood frame and a large beach themed framed for multiple photos. I will put pictures of all of the family with beach themes. I put one of Nick's photos in the white frame, he just makes me smile, so it is a perfect photo to put in that room.

I had to buy some extra fabric to do the baby quilt, now if I can just get it made. One more week till the shower so if nothing goes wrong, I can have it done, I work well under pressure;)

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, filled with family and new memories.

Nativity Punch Needle!

I decided it was time I made something with my nativity design and I wanted to try something a little different. I enlarged the design and made it in the shape of a stable. I punched the main designs in a #3 height and the background in a #1 height. I also did Joseph's beard in a #4 height to make it more scrappy.

I really didn't get the 3D look that I was going for, but it is raised. I also did a horrible job on the punching, way too big so it took me all week and my hand is tired and numb, lol. I really like the idea though, so I think I will work on another and maybe make it more detailed, will have to think on it. The other problem is when I stuffed it, it puffed out, so that killed the background being in the background. I think another idea would be to make a wool stable shaped frame and put the piece behind that.

You can get my free designs from the previous post and make your own nativity. It works in all mediums and I did do a cross stitch, as well.

I would also use better colors, but I was digging out of my scrap box, really need to use those up.

The finished piece is about 8" high by 6 1/2" wide. I used a dark and lighter wool yarn for the roof and sides, by bunching it up as I sewed and laid it flat on the bottom.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I am down with the flu, so hoping I feel good enough to go shopping this weekend or no one is getting any presents, lol.

I did antique this piece, but it came out lighter and too bold, compared to the actual piece. Also this week, I have taking off the word verification and hopefully the junk mail won't return.

Indigo Blue Table Mat!

I finished my table mat this weekend and love how it looks on the table. We got a slate blue couch and just having something that matches, really warms the area up. The table is really an old cupboard top that had a stained glass front, but that got broken and now it is used as a table top with shelves to put my things.

This is the top, as is. I had to wash it to get rid of the chalk marks, yellow is not easy to get out. It shrank up and warped a bit, but fits the spot perfectly. The mat measures 23 1/2" x 13".  I stuck the candle on top so you could see the colors. I have a reproduction pencil box that sits there and holds my scissors and other items.

I decided it was too white and bright, so it got a walnut ink wash. I dried it in the sun and it got spotty, so I rinsed it down a bit and resprayed, then dried it in the dryer and now it has just the right aged look. The extra washing and drying, warped it more, but is is laying flat now, on the table.

Here is a close up of the staining and my stitching. I used DMC floss, 2 strands of #612. A great color for when you want a lighter, primitive shade.

I also decided my rooster was too light, I do like my darker prim look. I used walnut on the main colors and then tried java ink on the orange, but it muddied it on the outer edges of the tail, but it does look old now. Now I have to decide how I want to finish it. Today the summer UFO's went in a box, they will have to wait till late winter. Now it is time to get going on Christmas, I am hoping to have projects finished in time, this year;)

Dancing Bunnies Needlepunch!

Well, I finally feel human enough to start working on my projects. Yesterday was the first day I could sit up and still, long enough to work on my punch needle piece.

This punch needle design was a kit that I won from Ginger at Primitives By The Light Of The Moon. I have used my wool yarn in punching and found it hard to do, so I was worried about how I would do with Ginger's kit.

I really love the yarn that comes with the kit, the colors are beautiful, nice variation in the colors and it punches through weavers cloth easier than floss. Another thing about kits, is they always give you too little and you run out of yarn, but Ginger adds enough to finish the piece and extra to put into another project. The yarn in the background came from the same skein. It was really fun to just punch in areas and see how the colors came out, as I went.

After I finished my piece, I made it into a pillow and antiqued it. The rabbits were shades of white but the walnut turned them all brown, but I do like the antique look it has now. Of course the flash lightens it more. The border is a shade of green and blue yarn, that I twisted and sewed around the edge.

If you would like to make one of your own, you can visit her Etsy shop, Prairie Moon Primitives, which includes the pattern, weavers cloth and wool yarn.

Friday Finish!

Today I finished two punch needle pieces. I had made one and this week, made another. A friend sent me the pattern, but my dull brain can't remember who;)

These will be Christmas gifts, so I finished them off, but left the opening so I can add balsam to them before I close them. I think it will be nice to hang on an artificial tree to bring in the pine smell or on a door or peg rack to fill the house with balsam.

I did one in similar colors to the pattern and three strand and one I did with 6 strand and a different color scheme. I do use three strands for the lettering. I decided they needed antiquing so I added walnut spray to them.

The pattern is called Joy, by Prairie Grove Peddler. I think the second one looks more like a top, lol. But, I do like the brighter color and the retro look it has.