It really works!

Part of me was skeptical about this glow in the dark yarn but after crocheting a few rounds of it and heading to bed, I discovered it does work. I shut off the light and noticed a strange glow from across the room. Yep, it was the yarn. Impressive. What am I making? A dolly blanket for the dolly bed that I'm giving Rue for Christmas. I'm sure she'll put her bear in it instead of her dolls but that's OK. She puts her "Baby" in the stroller and pushes him around. By "Baby" I mean her teddy bear which she refers to as "Baby." Ah yes, yet another thing I'm doing to avoid sewing together all those little quilt blocks that I just spent days cutting out. I'll get to it sooner or later.

How to avoid doing what you should be doing 101

First you dig out an old laptop case. I found ours in the garage when I was collecting all of the old computers to take to the recycling program. Clean it up a little, its kind of dusty. To think I almost tossed the case in the trash. I knew I could come up with a new purpose for it. I just had to think about it for a while.
Get out your glue and line the inside with blue and green felt. Start cutting out shapes with the felt. I actually cut strips of grass that fit on top of the green hill landscape. You'll see why below. I've been working on trees and plants, clouds and a sun, you know all the stuff you'd find in an outdoor setting. I have a lot of other ideas for designs. Actually if you think about it, the list could be limitless. I'm going to make balloons, kites, boats, animals, insects...you get the idea.
Next I took sheets of felt and sewed them together to form a felt book with a cloth binding. It opens up flat. I couldn't let the cover remain plain and boring, could I! Nope! Since the felt board is meant for The Rue Rue, I put her name on the cover and added a couple of felt flowers and leaves.
The shapes stick to the felt inside of the book. She can flip though the book and pick out the shapes she wants. When she's done with the pieces she doesn't want, she can stick them in the book to get them out of her way. Well, in theory anyway...you know how kids are. The book fits right in the case, so we shouldn't have to worry about misplacing the felt pieces. Notice below how the board can be flipped and it works as a body of water with a land mass behind it. Neat huh. It's a two in one special. With all the effort I put into making this felt board, I couldn't allow the outside of the case to go without some needed attention, could I. So I got out the paint pens and did a little free hand design, which I screwed up but I think I made it work.
Want to know how big that felt board is? Well, the felt book is made with whole sheets of standard sized felt pieces, which are the size of a sheet of computer paper. If any of you have extra time and felt shoved in a closet or drawer, feel free to dig it out and cut out shapes for Rue Rue. I think I will make a house for her next.

Wendy was the winner....and her banners are done

Wendy won my little contest and as a prize I said I would make her a banner. She wanted one that combined her daughters birthdays. Since they are not twins, I couldn't let them share a banner even thought they both have May birthdays. So, I said I would make two. It really doesn't take me that long and I have been in the mood to make them, so I went with the flow. When people watch me make my banners the are always shocked that I don't use a pencil to sketch things out. I'm wing it kind of gal. I get a permanent black marker, start with the balloons on the end and work my way right across the banner paper. I do the hollow bubble letters and once I am all done, I make random designs inside each letter. (note below one of the banners is colored in, the other was ready for me to start on it.) After that is done, I color them in trying to keep the colors seperated a little bit. If I make a booboo, or my design is a little flawed, I just go with the flow and move on. Most people don't notice anyway, unless ofcourse you spell something wrong, which I have been known to do. I am dyslexic you know. Letters just seem to pop up in strange places. Once the coloring is done, I go over it with a bottle of clear drying glue and top that off with a crystal clear glitter for that added POW. Several people have said I should sell my banners. I wouldn't even know what to charge. For now, I'll just make them when the mood strikes and the need is great. If I'm not in the mood to make one, I'm not shy about refusing.  
 
 
 

Now aren't you upset you didn't figue out that my other banner said, "Happy 50th Birthday Bill!"

Leaf garland....ah, Fall!!

I was at the Leach house on Sunday, helping Jim with the garden beds again. I swear that the raised beds will not be done until after Thanksgiving. It's going slow. I should ask him if he needs my help this weekend....anyway, while I was at their house, I noticed the lovely leaves in the front yard. We don't have pretty fall trees at our house, at least not yet. Jean said she thinks the front leaves turned early because she hadn't watered those trees very much and that happens when you have young trees. Anyway I took a huge garbage bag of them home with me. I sat on the floor the other afternoon with the leaves, a roll of floral wire and some twine. I ended up with a very pretty swag of leaves. I like it, it was easy and it brings a little of that fall beauty into the warm house. I would love to make one to go around the whole front door of the house but its a double door, so it would take a while. Maybe next year, now that I have it down to a science. I have Christmas ornies to make for this year. I need to get a move on.

What I made for Aunt Vickie...

OK, I can show you what I made for Aunt Vickie now. She received it in the mail on Friday. I made a wine bottle night light with grapes on the top and let me tell you, it looks prettier in person when its plugged in in a dark room. I just knew she needed one for her "wine cellar" theme she has going in her basement now that she has become a total wino lush....lol, I'm only joking. Shoot, she didn't drink for years so she has to make up for lost time. I have another set of red grapes and one set of green grapes so if Anyone else wants one...lol, I'll take orders. Actually, I might make a pair for the winery in Pawnee City Nebraska. That could be fun. Maybe Vickie could get some free booze out of it.