Catching Up (or....Seduced by Instagram)

Hi all,  it has been a busy month for all of us I am sure. Here we saw school get out and the garden go in.  We have had family gatherings, a day spent at Plant Con (the local water conservancy district has wonderful gardens, displays and classes) and helped our grown kids move into new digs. As well, I did the local Utah Shop Hop with my cousins (nieces, really) and have been sewing my brains out.  Aha! you say..... that is where they went....

First, a couple pix from the Utah Shop Hop, where the theme this year was Quilts Over Broadway. Each of the 13-14 shops were themed after a Broadway play, like West Side Story, Grease, Paint Your Wagon, Wizard of Oz and Little Shop of Horrors.

Here we are (L-R: Kim, me, Jen) as Oz characters:

The highlight of our 2-day trip around the state to visit the shops was seeing lots of Lori Holt’s quilts displayed at Thimbles and Threads. And in fact, I will be attending a 3.5-day retreat there next week with Lori herself...

And, it’s time to post the Farmgirl blocks (from her book and above quilt) that I have worked on, two per week, for the last three weeks....

Churn Dash

Corn and Tomatoes

Cool Threads

Country Crossroads

Crops

Egg Basket

I have learned (from Crops, above) that these photograph much cleaner (straighter) when laying down rather than being hung by pins from my design board....

I’ve also sewn, but have not pictures of, a small ironing pad for my travel iron and a quilted mat for my sewing machine with pockets for scissors, etc.  Both of those will be used regularly here at home and also at the Retreat next week.

Garden News:  Two pix of my back yard showing our climbing roses and our garden grow boxes.  You can see how small the garden was about 3 weeks ago when the roses peaked. Then, how much the garden veggies grew by the time the roses were waning. Now, with the roses needing deadheading so they will re-bloom, the garden is even bigger, but no pix of that for now.

Rose glory

waning roses, growing veggies

Lately I’m feeling so discombobulated because I have been taking some pictures with my camera, some with my iPad and some with my iPhone. The latter two I can, and do, use for Instagram, where I seem to keep more up to date with my sewing postings. The camera pix are mostly for my Etsy and sometimes the blog.  But sometimes I need my iPhone/iPad pix here on the blog, then I have to email them to myself, and they will not save in the new Photos section on my iMac (thanks a lot, Apple). In short, I have pix scattered about here and there..... *deep sigh*

By the way, you can follow me on Instagram. I am   @cathy_k_in_ut
I have more to blog about, including a quilt finish, but I am going to put that in a separate post.  Also, I have NOT given up on the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, but hope to begin working with my light blue and aqua scraps (June`s monthly color) this weekend....

Finally, I am closing out most of my Etsy Shop (see link at right). As soon as I get back from the Lori Holt retreat next weekend, I will begin a 20% off sale on all merchandise; lace, fancy fabric packs, vintage patterns, vintage sheet fabrics, etc - even clearance.  The percentage off may increase as time goes on (and inventory decreases).  The plan is to convert the shop to vintage sheets/fabrics, vintage sewing patterns, and vintage linens only. Lace will always be my special love, but I have commercial clients now that I must focus on instead of the shop.  So, watch for that sale!!!

Whew!  See you soon!

Hugs,

Just a Teaser (if you like Seaweed)

I have spent waaaaay too much time dyeing laces lately.  Awhile back one of my suppliers offered me a deal on some vintage lace that looked to me like seaweed. To a seamstress, that would not be particularly appealing, but to a crazy quilter, WHAT A FIND!   I purchased all of it (11 yards) and now have a lifetime supply of lace seaweed, LOL.

The problem was that this (rayon per the supplier) lace is acting more like a rayon/poly blend and has been quite difficult to dye.  I have been playing with it for a couple weeks and finally found what works and what doesn`t.

There are a few more colors I want to get made up, like brighter oranges, some pinks, plus some greens that are more emerald.  Then I have to decide how to package them (by color? in assortments? with other lace sea growth? some undyed? all of the above?) and then price accordingly.  So, it will be another week before they are listed in my shop. And then we can all go crazy with our Under the Sea themed blocks!!

In the meantime, though, I do have a new Spring Woodland inspiration assortment of fabrics, trims, laces (and beads, buttons, a silkie print) available in my Etsy shop.

I am very close to having not one, but TWO baby quilts done to show off, so I will be back with that next week.  In the meantime, I will photograph and show you my Lace & Pearls blocks that I got back from the other ladies in our recent RR. You will recall that I’ve been showing my work on their blocks, one by one. Now it is time to show you the lovely work they did for me on my blocks.  Later this week.  :-)

Hugs,

Bumblebees, CQ and Treasure

When I get really busy, I tend to hyper-focus and forget about other things.  When I was a book-aholic (and had better eyes), I could read for hours on end and forget dinner, bedtime, etc.  I do that now with stitching and being on the computer; working on my Etsy shop, playing games, reading blogs or surfing Pinterest.  And CQI (Crazy Quilting International) takes a good chunk of my time (and heart). So, that is my excuse - and I`m sticking to it - for not blogging even when I have lots to share.  :-)

I am still doing catch-up posts in addition to sharing current projects and happenings.  So, jumping back to last August, here are some pictures from granddaughter London`s 4th birthday party.

She wanted a bumblebee theme, and we even had a cute bumblebee costume that she wore, with antennas, but that came off rather quickly because it was “too itchy”. I think it was a former dance costume (courtesy of the thrift store) that was meant to have a blouse under it.  So the bumblebee morphed into a princess.

London, Age 4

Bumblebee cake made by Grammy (me)

Eating fruit before the cake was cut

Grandpa Bruce and I gave her a great art station (desk and chair behind London in picture below) that I found at Costco. It is made of durable plastic and has room to store her markers, paint, etc.  Her daddy (my son Shane) is an artist and London definitely has artsy genes. Last year we gave her an easel/white board combo, so now she and Daddy have their art spaces set up together in their apartment.

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I  am still waiting for DH to download all the cruise wedding pictures (from June - my son Ryan and DIL Kim) from his spare hard drive (that he calls “Spock”) onto my hard drive. He was supposed to do that on his last days off as one of his “honey-do’s”, but he forgot. Ahem. Well, at least I got the legs to the kitchen table tightened up.  :-)

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Let`s move on to some stitching-related things.

I have finished my work on two blocks in our Lace and Pearls round robin at Crazy Quilting International.  These are 6” blocks.

The first block belongs to Gayle.  I really enjoyed working on this and did most of the work at our CQI Retreat in September.  The gray thing on the left is a Margaret Rose, one that Sharon Boggon teaches in her workshops.  Elizabeth Rudder refreshed our memories (with permission from Sharon) on how to do those.  They are time consuming but fun (and my example is rather lacking).

The block below belongs to Barbara W.  She asked us to add touches of black.  Her six blocks in this round robin will go into a wall hanging featuring a vintage silkie of a spider`s silk wedding dress shop.  It is so cute!

And over on CQI, we have started a program that runs through the end of the year - featuring the Etsy shops of CQI members twice weekly.  We do this in the form of Treasuries, curated collection of items.  One is a “supplies” treasury (think threads, ribbons, needles, lace, buttons, fabrics, beads, charms, etc) for needleworkers of all types. The other is a “gift” or finished product treasury.

If you fancy a browse, here are some of the Treasuries that we have posted so far:

Crazy Needlewoman’s Necessities

Sewing Southpaw’s Favorite Treasures

A Crazy Quilt Journey Red and Green Christmas Sewing Treasures:

Crazy Crafty Christmas Gifts

LES Designs Inspiration

That ought to keep you busy and out of trouble!  hehehe

Hugs,

Another Little Quilt

In between stitching for my round robins and the CQ Journal Project, I am trying to complete a half dozen quilts before Christmas. Sounds impressive, eh?  It isn’t really - these are small, very easy quilts.  The idea was to get me back into quilting with easy patterns for the grandkids’ quilts.

Bruce helping Hunter with Pumpkin

Hunter checks out our pumpkin patch

Cars and trucks Christmas quilt for Hunter

Detail view

Minky backing showing quilting

Below, I just love our orange front door, especially at this time of year when it makes a great backdrop for an autumn wreath!

I’ve started winterizing the yard, so most of the flowering annuals are gone and things are looking a bit bare.  The weather is still clear, gorgeous and warm during the days, but evenings are nippy.

The Japanese maple is also showing off for autumn.

The entryway looks so bare without all my flower-filled Mexican Talavera pots.  Well, I had to keep one there for another couple weeks . . .

Next time I am out in the garden, I will tackle this front flower bed.  I want to enjoy that delphinium as long as I can and pretend it’s still summer!

There are a lot of autumn themed laces in my Etsy shop.  Below I have just a sampling.  There are Christmas appliques and laces, too (we crafters like to get an early start).  Enjoy the fall colors, LOL!!

Hugs,

Sale in my Etsy Shop

SALE!  Come Celebrate my 2-year Etsy Anniversary

Http://cathyscrazybydesign.etsy.com

My Etsy Shop, Cathys Crazy by Design, is turning 2 this week!  To celebrate, I am offering a 15% discount off of every single item in my shop.  Just make your selections and when you check out, type in the coupon code HAPPY2 to receive your 15% off. 

And thanks to Etsy`s continual upgrades, I can now accept credit cards (or debit cards) in addition to Paypal!  I think it has helped make things easier for everyone!

  

Here are some of our fun offerings for you:

Golden-dyed heirloom-look Venice Laces

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Cathyscrazybydesign?section_id=7151086

Colorwashed Pastel Venice Laces

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Cathyscrazybydesign?section_id=11069165

Fabric Packs or Theme Packs

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Cathyscrazybydesign?section_id=10166710

  

Miscellaneous Laces and Trim

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Cathyscrazybydesign?section_id=7151093

Vintage Sewing Patterns

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Cathyscrazybydesign?section_id=10001649

Plus handmade items, a clearance section (yes, you get 15% off these, too) and more!   Check back often, because I add new things all the time! And I have plenty that is coming in the next several days.   I hope you will come visit!

**** This Anniversary Sale will run  through Wednesday, July 4 ******

Thanks and hugs,

The Last Steampunk CQ Block Finished

Whew. This was a hard round robin because it turned out that Steampunk is more easily interpreted with “things” than with stitching. But working on Colleen’s block - the last one for me - was really fun. Of all the blocks in the round robin, I believe hers had the best background (“canvas”) on which to work, and it was also the largest at almost 15x15”.  Colleen had even stabilized hers with a thin fleece-type backing, which was not only brilliant but necessary.

Colleen’s Completed Block

When the block came to me, the black items were all in the bottom half of the block; the black trim on the left with rivets, the black fabric piece in lower right and the “chicken scratch” in the lower half of the white piece. I added the black lace curving around the center area, the “Late Edition” ribbon,  and the black trim on the right. I felt that helped even out the black in the block.  

Then I added an old crocheted key motif, which I had been holding on to for the perfect block. This was it. The block was large enough to handle it, and keys are such a great Steampunk motif (so is black and heavy lace). It also served to break up a lot of the vertical directionality of the piecing and trims in that area.

Winged Hearts

Kathi S had added the winged heart on the right (on the scrap of wool), so I decided to repeat the motif with a vintage-look heart button and some metal stuff that looked like wings.  Another spot on the block would have been better, but being the last one to work on the block meant that there were not that many open spots. 

The clock and metal circle were already on the block, and they rather reminded me of a watch. So I added some old broken chain (gotta love broken jewelry!) to make it look pocketwatch-ISH. 

And finally, I topped it off with some STITCHING, which I was itching to do (tacking on THINGS doesn’t count as stitching).  So, I laced the thin brown patch with some variegated perle cotton. 

I love the way this piece turned out - very textural and so much variety. Colleen - I hope you like it!  It will be winging its way to you in the next few days.

And now I will focus on cleaning up my studio for the rest of the week so I can decide which project(s) to tackle next.  I am really thinking that my Seascape Valance needs some attention, and I hope to begin piecing my big CQ by 2012.  And I have a couple other ideas up my sleeve, but I will save those for another post.

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In the meantime, I have added fabric packages to my Etsy shop.  It seems I get one big category tackled every week or two.  Next I would like to add sewing supplies (zippers, gripper fabric for children’s feet in sewn items, and so much more).  But next up will be the Zipper Flower tutorial first...

By the way, the Anniversary Sale in my Etsy shop will continue through the end of the month, so feel free to use it even if you have already purchased and used the code already. Just type in JULY11TENPERCENT during checkout (where indicated for coupon code) and your discount will be deducted.  

Until next time,