My first rag quilt done!

Close up of all my girly prints

Finished size is 70 x70

Yeah, it's done!  I've done a couple of baby quilts, mini quilts/runners etc. but wanted to try a grown up quilt.  It had to be fairly easy/forgiving, since I don't really know how to sew yet.  This one was done with 6 inch squares, 12 squares by 12 squares, with 1/2 inch seams, so a finished size of 70x70.  Perfect for snuggling under  as the weather cools.  I had a couple of fleece throws that someone had given me when my boys were born, they were just plain white, but they had such a nice heavy feel when you were under them.  They got cut up to use as a backing, and since they were so heavy, there was no need for a middle layer.   The rag quilts, if you are not familiar with them, are attached to the backing first, then the squares are sewn together with the seams up.  Next you snip the up parts along each side of the square (thanks to my mom who did a lot of  snipping while I made dinner).  As you wash them, they fray and fluff around each square.  I haven't washed this one yet.  The bad part of reusing the fleece blankets is that they don't really fray, but I still think it looks and feels great and will just get better with age -and it gave me the chance to recycle those blankets, saving on the project cost.   I used cotton for the top so that should curl at the edges just as it supposed to (I used 1 yard each of 6 patterns).   My son is asking for a quilt now and keeps taking this one to "test" on his bed.  I'm going to do one for him next but not the rag style....and probably not with the butterfly and flowers.

Fall Scarecrow Scrap page

Today's share is a quick 8x8 scrap page.  Papers are from Mr.Campy (Cosmo Cricket), FALL font is  Poplar Std.  I wish the boys hadn't been holding their helmets but we had gone back out to ad the sign and decided we didn't feel like walking - yup, our driveway is really that long...see the end of the road in the photo, that's only the half way point.  We made the scarecrow on their last day of Summer vacation using my old coveralls, Grandpa's old shirt, Andys hat and a dollar store bucket.  We put outside vinyl on the bucket for eyes and a mouth.  Andy stuck some straw under the vinyl mouth to make him look like he was chewin' on some straw... pretty cute addition I thought :).......  It was a fun project.

Fall wreath card and Create a Critter 2 scrapbook LO

I have had this psx twig wreath stamp for probably about 10 years and never used it...I don't know why, its a lovely stamp!  I used stickles on the berries and added some punched leaves.  The sentiment stamp is on a separate layer but the same paper so I inked the top and bottom edge to make it stand out a bit.

Today's second project is a 12 x 12 LO using the create a critter 2 sneak peak images (log onto the cricut craft room to use the images).   I left two journaling spots so that I could do a small journal for each of my two boys along with a row of their photos.  The wreath is cut at 5 inch, and the birds are about 1.5 inch.

Thanks for looking!

Happy September! Favorite Fall svg re-postings

I love everything about September, the beautiful weather, the bright leaves falling to the ground, the apple picking....and on and on.  Simply wonderful.

Before I list any new ones, I thought it would be nice to re-release a couple of my favorite old fall svgs for those who missed them,

Pumpkin corner svg

Blessings mesh border svg

Apple tree svg                      Apple basket svg          Half Apple svg

Have a wonderful September day!

Fall card with Tattered Leaves die, some ranting, and about canning peaches

Quick-ish card to share today, I used the fan folder from Stampin Up and my new leaf die (Tim Holtz tattered leaves).  I love the cover of the die which has the leaf cut from a dictionary page (you can pick up used dictionarys for next to nothing at garage sales).  So I copied that and then did some stitching  and used a Hero Arts stamp.

Pet Peeve moment:   I went to Joanns yesterday promising the boys we would buy the fabric for Daisy's Halloween costume (she is going to be a witch, she will not be happy about that as she prefers to just be a dog).  The boys and I had seen the fabric we wanted to use but it was spendy $12.99/yd, so armed with a 60% coupon I went to go get it.  Of course after she cut it she told me it was on sale 20% off, so I couldn't use my coupon, grrrrr.  I still had a 40% off coupon so I grabbed a die I had been wanting.  Normally I don't buy dies since I can buy an entire cartridge for about the same cost, but at 40% off and wanting to cut fabric with it, I went ahead...then at the check stand they tell me that is on sale, too, so again, can't use the coupon.  They lure you in with big savings, but watch out.  Neither item was marked as on sale on the shelf, or I wouldn't have gotten them, but by the time you've had it cut or are paying, its too late.  Sorry, ranting over.

ON TO PEACHES!

So the rest of the crafting for the weekend involved peaches...and lots of them.  My friend took a trip this weekend and brought me back some Yakama peaches which she said were the best for canning.  I also purchased one case at our local farm a couple days earlier.  I wish I knew what kind they were because they were AMAZING.  These ones I did  yesterday were Elberta, and compared to the ones from the farm, they were just OK (I will admit they were less than half the price, $11 for 24 lbs, whereas the others I paid $24 for about 24 lbs-but they were worth it!).  I had never done peaches because I though, ugh, peeling.  ITS SO SIMPLE, oh my, takes but a couple seconds to peal a peach after its blanched.  45 seconds in boiling, dunk in ice water, and the peach skin just slips off.   So here is something I didn't know: adding cinnamon to peaches is SO yummy.  On some I added it as an after though, I sprinkled the cinnamon sugar on top just before I processed.  The next batch I added it to the syrup.  Adding it on top was so much better tasting for the final product.  I don't know why but it was, and it looked nicer in the jar too.  So with two cases,  I ended up with two batches of jam, about 20 pints and 6 quarts of canned (a couple already eaten since I had to test the cinnamon thing), and then froze the rest for crisp (and made one batch of YUMMY peach crisp for now).

Whew.  I'm pooped.

Summer is almost over, a couple fall cricut cards

Remember me?  That is the longest I've ever gone without posting!  This month I continued to clean up my crafting area, use stuff up or get rid of it.   I sold a lot of things on ebay - I think I had so much stuff that I couldn't find what I did have-the clutter was making my work space un-enjoyable.  I managed to get my collection of "alterables" down to one drawer and my "keep" stamps down to one drawer, greatly reduce the number of ink pads I have, and I have a HUGE pile of crafting books that will be going on ebay.  Ahhh, getting better.  Still have way too much paper and vinyl.
Our summer started out not so good with my son getting hurt - he's OK now - but we had to call an ambulance and he had to stay overnight in the hospital.  I still hear the screaming in my sleep, it was awful.
In his down days after the accident he and his brother did some lovely painting for me and we made a fun (dollar store beach item) mantle display, which I'm about to take down (I'm entering FALL mode, my favorite season).

fresh veggies from our garden

When I wasn't dealing with that I was doing other  projects like building 8 raised beds for my new garden or building a hug chicken coop with my brother for my 19 chickens, 2 roosters and 2 turkeys .  6 of the chickens and one rooster are going to live with a friend soon as I have decided that maybe I don't need quite so many, and the turkeys....well, they are leaving soon too as they are table ready.

The turkeys are the ones by the table - well over 20 lbs each. Still have to paint the trim and add some flashing and faceboards to the roof.  

I'm currently getting about 16 eggs a day!

I am also working on my first rag quilt: Doh, can't find the photo on my card!  Oh well, next time.

basket and apples from doodlecharms

Fall leaves from Give a Hoot and flower shoppe.

So....back to paper crafting.  Today I made a couple of little 4x4 cards with my cricut to attach to food gifts (alot of my friends get eggs these day):

Ok, enough for one post, I'll save some for tomorrow.  

Lifes a Beach flip flops card

I have a couple of cards to share today.  The first is from Life's a Beach (cricut cartridge) flip flops cut at 3 inch.  The bottom water was just done by tearing a piece of white core coordination paper and the verse is from K. Andrews Splashtastic. The second was just done using scraps and a card sketch I found in an old magazine (all supplies Stampin' Up).   And here is just a pretty photo of some of the strawberries from my garden...yummy!  Thanks for looking!