Making Ornaments...

Well here are some of the ornaments I have been working on for the craft fair. They are two and a half inches square. I took these tiny stretched canvas boards and painted/stamped/glittered them until they had a patina that I liked. Then I embroidered holiday designs on my painted dryer sheets. The really nice thing about the dryer sheets I have discovered it that once they are fused to the interfacing I can cut them out and they won't fray like woven fabric. It's kind of like cutting felt. Once I cut out my embroidered designs I glue them to the painted canvas boards using fabric glue. I finish off the edges with a ribbon border and a matching ribbon to hang the ornament. The back is finished off with a coordinating piece of mulberry paper. I was considering selling them for $5.00-$5.50, any feedback would be greatly appreciated! I know there are different theories on determining what to charge for one's work, but the bottom line is that the price has to reflect what a person is actually going to pay for it. So, with that in mind I want honest opinions as to my price. I'm not looking to get rich and I realize that with needlework I'm not really getting paid for my labor. I am however, having a lot of fun doing this and that is all that truly matters. I hope everyone stays warm this week. We are trying very hard to do that here with our six inches of snow and twenty degree highs.

More Ornaments...

I'm completing more ornaments. This group is going to be a classic bulb on a very glittery blue canvas. I wanted something that would look really good on an all white Christmas tree. The kind of ornament that would look good hanging up through out the winter just because it sparkles so much. I will post a picture of the completed ornament when I am finished with it. Making these ornaments has been a lot of fun. It has also forced me to focus on one project at a time. My goal for this craft fair is to really just have a good time. However, if I could sell even just a few ornaments I would be excited. As a stay at home mom I have no money that is really just mine. It bothers me a bit that I buy Andrew a Christmas present and he is really paying for it. I realize that this is just the way it is (and so does he) but I would love to be able to buy him something for Christmas that he didn't have to pay for! Even if it is something simple like a music CD.

A finished project...

I finally finished this embroidery project that I have been working on for several weeks. The pattern is a free download from http://sebadesigns.multiply.com/. Her name is Seba and she is from Turkey and her passion is Blackwork. Her designs are beautiful. I changed the colors around a bit and added some beads. I finished it by sewing the embroidery to some turquoise curtain fabric and adhering it to a 12 by 12 stretched canvas board. Andrew's Aunt Tonya had given us a big bag of old pinch pleat curtains, they had belonged to his grandmother. (I should preface this with the fact that we moved into an 1894 Victorian house in an older historic neighborhood of Cleveland. I do miss that house! I love Norwalk, but I miss that house.) Aunt Tonya figured since we had a lot of windows, that we would want the free curtains. I never used them on the windows but I never threw them out either. I just knew the fabric would be useful one day. I am glad I finally finished this, it actually looks very nice hanging in my living room and I have to say that I am quite proud of the way it turned out. I hope everyone has a nice week.

Life and all the other stuff that goes with it!

Would you look at this mess!! This is what I have been trying to accomplish for almost three weeks now. Along with princess birthday parties, preschoolers and the flu, laundry that was piled as high as me, a back yard blanketed in leaves, and all kinds of other "life" stuff. I am so sorry it has taken me almost three weeks to post! The nerve of life getting in the way of my blogging! I have decided to start taking lots and lots of pictures, uploading them to my blog and saving them in draft form. I have read on several blogs that this system seems to work well for a lot of people. When I started this blog, my goal was to really post twice a week. I have been satisfied with once a week but lately I am finding it hard to even do that! So, I am hoping this system of saving posts in draft form will help. I have also decided to participate in a craft show in December. A friend of mine has done this for a couple of years now; a woman in North Ridgeville opens her house and her barn up for a weekend of Christmas shopping and antiquing. She charges twenty dollars for a table and it is free wine and food for the vendors all night. I figured for twenty dollars the wine and free food (a long with the camaraderie of fellow crafters) would make a nice evening out. I am going to make Christmas ornaments and keep it very simple. I am not really doing this to make any money, I just want to see what it is all about and have a nice time. I will post pictures of my ornaments as soon as I get organized!! I hope this post finds everyone healthy, happy, and ready for the fast approaching holiday season.

More painted dryer sheets...

I have been busy making more painted dryer sheets. I figured if I made up a bunch of them and fuse the interfacing to them, then they are ready for use when I want to embroider. This latest group I did in mainly holiday colors as I plan on making a bunch of gifts this year. My craft room/studio may be a mess but I am really trying to stay ahead of the holiday season mayhem!

Princess Hailey...

On Monday afternoon I walked into the family room to see this. Hailey very patiently sitting on the floor with a tiera on her head while Alexa played princess. Is this not the best dog or what! I wish I had the patience that this dog has. She is always in a good mood, always happy (even when she is in pain), and so very loyal. She makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, I hope you all have a warm and fuzzy weekend!