2015 September
Inspiration in the Strangest Places!
9/29/2015
As I was working on my many projects in Florida last week, I was snacking on some grapes and as I finished them off and folded the bag, it hit me! What a neat little makeup or clutch purse that pattern would make! So I grabbed some paper and a pencil, created a pattern, and designed this little bag.
The funniest part about all of it is that I've had more comments and compliments on this bag than any of the other work I did while I was gone. Thanks to the grape bag manufacturer, I have a new base pattern to design with.
My Game Stack Ottoman cushions are poly wrapped foam inside a zippered removable cushion and come with a fun fabric bag to hold colorful hand-painted game pieces. Want your child's name on them? We can personalize them for you!
I love the fact that these cushions are multi-use. You can sit on them or play games on them. Checkers and Tic-Tac-Toe were some of my favorite board games when I was young.
I started my first week away with suitcases full of nothing but supplies and a "general" idea for several projects. It was very special to have had a little time just for myself to spend creating, what I love, without answering to anyone. Now, I'm headed home with a suitcase full of finished and partially finished projects that have me energized and ready to create for the holiday season.
Here's a sneak peak of just a few of the projects that I worked on during my time away. This art doll box was the first project I started when I arrived. It's a variation of one I'd made several years ago that was published in Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. The body of the doll opens to hold a small book, or as a secret hiding place. No machine sewing is required, just some relaxed hand sewing and fabric manipulation. Her friendly face just makes me smile.
This Messenger Bag was the next project that I jumped into creating. It has an adjustable strap and lots of space on the inside for your computer and notebooks, or can even be used as an overnight bag. I designed this pattern as I went along and it's a super easy project for beginners and those who think that their sewing skills are not advanced enough for a bag with a lot of detail.
I LOVE this hobo style bag. On the inside, there are 2 large pockets on one side and a zippered pocket on the other side. It is constructed out of a heavy weight canvas and is very durable.
I used Habaneros, Jalapenos, and Tepin in this batch of jelly. It came out hot enough as you eat it, but didn't leave a lingering burn to your mouth. I think that the jelly passed the taste test. This all coming from the woman whose cooking page on Pinterest is labeled, "I wish I liked to cook!"
I'm now back home and ready to teach several classes this week. My week is full and I'm a little overwhelmed with all I need to get done, but am still looking for venues for my Funky Fibers line. I would love to find a Fall art show or two to participate in, so if you have any ideas or information, I would enjoy hearing from my blog followers about suggestions on any upcoming art festivals you know about.
Here's a new "HOLD THE DATE " for you. We are holding our annual Mitten Mania Community Service Project on October 14th from 10 - 4 and would love for you all to come help. We will be making mittens for those in the community that find themselves a little down this winter season. If you can't sew, come cut out mittens and match sweaters that will be transformed to beautiful works of art! Hope to see all of you then!!
A lounge chair in the sun is a nice place to sleep while in Florida, but there's a community outreach by the name 'A Place To Sleep' that is doing so much good, I'd love to share it with you.
It was started by a 10 year old girl named Jessica Carter, after seeing the movie, "The Blind Side." She had the desire and drive to provide a bed for every child that didn't have one, and so far this charity has provided over 720 beds for children in the local community that were otherwise sleeping on the floor.
With so many people and businesses involved, this outreach has been wonderful to watch. A Place To Sleep is good news that needs to be spread, and we would love for you to help us do just that!
For those of you who go to the A Place To Sleep Facebook page and 'Like' their page by the 23rd of September, your name will be entered in a drawing with the chance to win one of four $50.00 gift certificates to our MEM online store. We will announce the winners in the September 30 newsletter.
www.facebook.com/aplacetosleep
If you would like more information, please let me know. Thanks for the support!!
Have you ever just wanted to disappear, take time for you and do just what YOU want to do?? I often think that I would like to be by myself to create for days on end, not having to answer the phone, fix meals, or go to work. I'm sure all of you know the feeling. That's what I'm doing this trip!
It wasn't 15 minutes after I got back to Brent's house from dropping the kids off for their trip to Iceland that I had my two suitcases unpacked and my first project started. (1.5 of those suitcases was filled with fabrics, trims, paints. beads and tools) Oh what a mess.... but I decided to leave it out and start over in the morning!!
It's nice, but what I have figured out is that as much fun as I'm having relaxing, creating, shopping, gardening and exploring, I really miss the interaction with people. Needless to say, I am getting a lot accomplished!
Look at me, dad!... I'm on my bed and not the carpet!
Murphy and I have created our own little routine. We start the day with a half hour walk... or more like Murphy walks me.
We are trying to figure out what will grow best up against the back fence. Does anyone have any suggestions for quick growing plants for privacy in Florida?
I was able to clean out the raised bed garden that Brent had created. Tomatoes and peppers are done but it won't be long before he can plant round two.
This little guy greeted me at the front door after my bike ride the other day.I still can not get used to little lizards running all over! And this one is not what I consider little!
The main projects I want to finish while I'm here is to get my proposals ready to submit to Art Unraveled in Phoenix. I have three fun ideas and hope to have them ready for next week's blog post.
I have never shopped local fabric stores while running our retail store, but I LOVE to go in fabric stores in other cities. I have spent several days shopping and am headed to a big fabric sale tomorrow!! Looking forward to creating!!
The chair for the Tourism office is done and has been delivered. Love, Love, Love the way it turned out. The green plaid is all around the outside of the chair and matches the wall color great!
This is what greets you as you walk in to the office and, I may be prejudice, but it does make quite a statement. I love it so much I am going to make another chair with the horse on the back. Or should I do jockey silks?
What a way to have a one-of-a-kind chair that no one else has, and best of all, it can be created just for you!! Are you ready to place your order?, What color should I make the next one? I have some fun chair frames to play with... how about an accent chair??
This is one of the fun chair frames that I came home with from my hunting expedition. I love the whimsical nature of this chair... Can't you see the back being the body of a lady... a head attached on the top and her bottom and legs down the front? O.K. so most people are not going to have something like that in their house, but maybe I will. Jeff is used to my quirks! But ...the artistic creative part sounds like a lot of fun. What do you see when you look at this frame?
I plan to work on this chair when I take The Upholstered Chair Workshop with Bobby Allen in September.
I tried to upholster once before and swore I'd never do it again... but Bobby makes it look so easy. I think I'll try again. Why don't you bring your chair and join me??
The work on the 'For Sale' house continues. It takes a special Aunt to come help clean off all the dried paint that was left there long before the kids moved in!!
So, I got sidetracked again. Imagine that!!
I decided that I needed to go back to my UFO's (with a slight suggestion from Tracy that her new sofa had been delivered).
They're shipped and on their way to you, Tracy!
These are pillow covers, which I love, because they can come off and be cleaned.
Here is one proud lady!! This is Judy's first painting produced in the oil painting class with Mary Sasse. It really turned out beautiful and the detail in the flowers is totally amazing.
I so look forward to Friday mornings and time to play with oils. And that really is what we do. The 2.5 hours goes by so fast and we learn so much each week.
I'm spending this Labor Day packing for another Florida trip. This time I'm headed down to dog sit for a week. Murphy is waiting for me! I'm only taking 2 suitcases. One and a half are packed with fabric and art supplies, while the other half of one case has a bathing suit and two pairs of shorts. Always remember what your priorities are!
As I started to think about this week's blog, I looked at the pictures I took to record all that I did during the week and only found one. Surely that was not all I did this week! I felt like I was going, going, going all week long! And I was!!
What I neglected to tell you all last week was that, while I was in Phoenix Jeff bought a new house. I thought about posting on Facebook, ''While I was in Phoenix Jeff bought a new house and started a new business.' But after serious consideration - and you do have to really consider what you're saying when you post on social media - I figured that folks would decide Jeff and I were getting a divorce (which we are not) and my move to Florida was immanent (which it is not). Do hear me say that none of that is true!!
Jeff and I have flipped houses all our married lives and lived in them as we worked on them. I'm constantly looking for the next house that we'll take on as a project. And after redoing and flipping five houses, and getting bigger with each one, it's time to start thinking about downsizing. So I'm constantly shopping and calling my real estate agent to view this or that as it comes on the market. The problem is, at this point, we love our location but the house is huge for only two people, a dog and two cats.
I found this wonderful house really close to town, lots of trees, and best of all a 40x60 concrete floored barn - of which I could see all sorts of creative possibilities. The house is a nice sturdy house in a beautiful setting, but would need lots of work to make it what I have in mind for our 'old age' house. I had looked at it several times, but with all that was going on, I just kind of put it on hold.
So, while I was in Phoenix setting up for the Vendors Show, and not thinking about buying a house, Jeff calls and says that he sees a sign posted that the house I have been looking at is going up for auction and he's going to go check it out.
The next call I get (as the show starts) is that we own a new house. Hmmmm!
Fast forward.... my son and sweet daughter-in-law decided the new house is the perfect 'next house' for them, so we've spent the week getting them moved out of their current house and into the new house. It's been a crazy week of painting and fixing up their old house to put on the market. But... they've already told me they won't share the new barn with me. They say I'll fill it up too fast! Imagine that!!
So... if anyone knows someone looking for a great starter home, we have one for sale. Newly painted, new carpet and a nice private backyard in quiet Shelbyville, KY.
I did spend some time working on custom orders to be shipped out. I also finished a custom pillow cover order. This type of project was a first for me.
I had a picture to go by and needed to paint a similar feel on the front of a pillow. It was a real stretch for me as I don't think of myself as a painter, and I don't usually work with Purple. I have to say, though, I'm pretty pleased with how it all came out!
I'm now anxiously waiting for a call from the upholsterer to let me know that a chair I recently designed is done. It's a great chair for horse enthusiasts and I can't wait to see it!!
Off to spend the day painting walls... a little too 'in the box' for me, but it has to be done!!
9/29/2015
The funniest part about all of it is that I've had more comments and compliments on this bag than any of the other work I did while I was gone. Thanks to the grape bag manufacturer, I have a new base pattern to design with.
The girls at the store keep telling me I need some fun little inexpensive items on FunkyFibersKY, so... here are the first three pair of earrings that I came up with.
They are fiber and fabric beads with metal end caps and glass beads to compliment the fabric. What a great stocking stuffer for holiday gift giving!
They're very addicting to make! I'm actually working on them in-between my typing. Necklaces are next!
They're very addicting to make! I'm actually working on them in-between my typing. Necklaces are next!
Game On! Can you just see these great game cushions in a children's play room or in a church preschool room?
My Game Stack Ottoman cushions are poly wrapped foam inside a zippered removable cushion and come with a fun fabric bag to hold colorful hand-painted game pieces. Want your child's name on them? We can personalize them for you!
This has been a very energizing week at the studio. We had several classes happen this week with wonderful participants.
One of the classes, the Scrap-Patch Footstool, was making your own fabric and creating one-of-a-kind footstools.
We spent half of Tuesday and all of Wednesday in our creative pursuit of a finished piece.
Here are two footstools from the class.
The design instructions were similar, but the use of different color combinations were not.
Both turned out unique and beautiful… and we finished on time!
Way to go Diana and Gloria!! Thanks for a fun time!
AND THE WINNERS ARE..... In addition to A Place To Sleep being the biggest winner, Jennifer Morales, Misty Thornton, Alex Jeffries and Christina Fry have each won a $50 gift certificate to our MEM online store. They each ‘Liked’ the A Place to Sleep Facebook Page to be in the drawing. Congratulations to each of you who won! For instructions on how to redeem your $50 gift certificate, email Delphia at makingendsmeetfabrics@gmail.com and she’ll be glad to help you.
So, now I’m on to making shower curtains and window treatments for the new house… Sounds like a creative weekend is ahead of me. What creative things are you doing this week??
What a great week of R & R! As I sat in the airport and thought about the last 12 days, I realized how much I needed that time. As lonely as it got at times, and as much as I missed my husband, I was able to create and spend some time thinking about what's really important to me and about what part of my life I'm ready to redirect.
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Back to the Real World!
9/21/2015
I started my first week away with suitcases full of nothing but supplies and a "general" idea for several projects. It was very special to have had a little time just for myself to spend creating, what I love, without answering to anyone. Now, I'm headed home with a suitcase full of finished and partially finished projects that have me energized and ready to create for the holiday season. 
This was also a "make as you go" project using the crazy quilt style as the base for the design. Watch for these to go on our Etsysite. I'm ready to make these in a variety of colors and styles.
There are several more projects that came home only partially finished and I'm determined they don't become more of my many UFOs (UnFinishedObjects). So I hope to spend the next week creating and working on these to show on next week's blog. I also started a new line of jewelry that I think will be fun to wear.
And, of course, I can't go to Florida without cheering Brent on with another one of his projects - being the helper and sounding board that I am (or instigator as the case might be!)
Brent and Natalie had started to redo the master bath right before leaving for Iceland on vacation and when they got back, they jumped right back in to finishing it up.
Brent and Natalie had started to redo the master bath right before leaving for Iceland on vacation and when they got back, they jumped right back in to finishing it up.
The bath had been gutted with all new cabinets put in. In this photo he was trying to get the moulding set around the mirror. It's so amazing how just a little renovation can change the way a room looks and feels.
When I cleaned out the garden, there were a lot of hot peppers to pick off the vine before the plants were pulled up. I love to make pepper jelly and Brent decided he wanted a batch REALLY hot (mine is usually mild using only green peppers and a few red pepper flakes).
I used Habaneros, Jalapenos, and Tepin in this batch of jelly. It came out hot enough as you eat it, but didn't leave a lingering burn to your mouth. I think that the jelly passed the taste test. This all coming from the woman whose cooking page on Pinterest is labeled, "I wish I liked to cook!"
Here's a new "HOLD THE DATE " for you. We are holding our annual Mitten Mania Community Service Project on October 14th from 10 - 4 and would love for you all to come help. We will be making mittens for those in the community that find themselves a little down this winter season. If you can't sew, come cut out mittens and match sweaters that will be transformed to beautiful works of art! Hope to see all of you then!!
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Jayn - What a wonderful week+ for you. Creativity needs to have time to be freed and expressed or it will just explode out of you or wither away. You are about the most creative person I know and that would be a shame in your case. I loved seeing these projects (my art doll box is watching me from across the room) and look forward to seeing the others when they are finished.
A Place to Sleep...
9/14/2015
It was started by a 10 year old girl named Jessica Carter, after seeing the movie, "The Blind Side." She had the desire and drive to provide a bed for every child that didn't have one, and so far this charity has provided over 720 beds for children in the local community that were otherwise sleeping on the floor.
For those of you who go to the A Place To Sleep Facebook page and 'Like' their page by the 23rd of September, your name will be entered in a drawing with the chance to win one of four $50.00 gift certificates to our MEM online store. We will announce the winners in the September 30 newsletter.
If you would like more information, please let me know. Thanks for the support!!
It wasn't 15 minutes after I got back to Brent's house from dropping the kids off for their trip to Iceland that I had my two suitcases unpacked and my first project started. (1.5 of those suitcases was filled with fabrics, trims, paints. beads and tools) Oh what a mess.... but I decided to leave it out and start over in the morning!!
Murphy and I have created our own little routine. We start the day with a half hour walk... or more like Murphy walks me.
I'm trying my best to train him to behave. I thought I was the one that got distracted and called "squirrel" a lot, but Murphy has me beat.
He behaves really well until a squirrel decides to run up and down the mature trees in the neighborhood and then I hold on to him for dear life while we have a battle of wills. He gives me a run for my money but I am winning!!
He behaves really well until a squirrel decides to run up and down the mature trees in the neighborhood and then I hold on to him for dear life while we have a battle of wills. He gives me a run for my money but I am winning!!
I think.
Have you all ever tried waxing fabric to make it waterproof?
If you have any experiences to share, I would love to hear them.
This is the jacket that Brent and I worked on the last time I was here visiting. He's working on his own blend of wax that he'll be selling.
This is the jacket that Brent and I worked on the last time I was here visiting. He's working on his own blend of wax that he'll be selling.
It has been a lot of experimenting to find just the right mixture and figuring out how to best apply the wax to the fabric. We learned a lot this time and know what we want to try next.
In my spare time, Murphy and I spend a lot of time in the back yard. I am trying to do some of the gardening and weeding that are hard to do when you are working full time.
We are trying to figure out what will grow best up against the back fence. Does anyone have any suggestions for quick growing plants for privacy in Florida?
I wish we had continuous growing seasons in Kentucky. I know my tomatoes and peppers will be gone when I get home!
I have never shopped local fabric stores while running our retail store, but I LOVE to go in fabric stores in other cities. I have spent several days shopping and am headed to a big fabric sale tomorrow!! Looking forward to creating!!
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Jayn Lando - That sounds even better than being retired because you don't have the phone and meals and other obligations still! Time to just be you and do what you want undisturbed by time or schedule. Enjoy!
Chairs, Chairs and More Chairs!!!
9/8/2015
This is what greets you as you walk in to the office and, I may be prejudice, but it does make quite a statement. I love it so much I am going to make another chair with the horse on the back. Or should I do jockey silks?
I plan to work on this chair when I take The Upholstered Chair Workshop with Bobby Allen in September.
Check out the finished results on our Facebook page. It is finished and it only took a week and a half... every night, that is, and 4-5 people per night!! Hopefully it will sell just as quick!
Now to move on to help where needed with the new house. Thanks Kim for all your support! Now let's decorate and concentrate on your new place!!
I decided that I needed to go back to my UFO's (with a slight suggestion from Tracy that her new sofa had been delivered).
They're shipped and on their way to you, Tracy!
These are pillow covers, which I love, because they can come off and be cleaned.
The Gold ones in the back have a flap closure in the back, while with the Rust pillows, I played with the flap and highlighted it with trim. The front pillow has the flap opening from the front side. This was fun to see how one style can be made into 3 totally different pillows. Let me know if you want instructions on how to make these.
I so look forward to Friday mornings and time to play with oils. And that really is what we do. The 2.5 hours goes by so fast and we learn so much each week.
1 Comment
Connie Hormell - I love walking into the office every morning and being greeted by this chair...only problem is I'm really tempted to take a seat here and pick up a book!
Flipping Houses!!
9/1/2015
What I neglected to tell you all last week was that, while I was in Phoenix Jeff bought a new house. I thought about posting on Facebook, ''While I was in Phoenix Jeff bought a new house and started a new business.' But after serious consideration - and you do have to really consider what you're saying when you post on social media - I figured that folks would decide Jeff and I were getting a divorce (which we are not) and my move to Florida was immanent (which it is not). Do hear me say that none of that is true!!
So, while I was in Phoenix setting up for the Vendors Show, and not thinking about buying a house, Jeff calls and says that he sees a sign posted that the house I have been looking at is going up for auction and he's going to go check it out.
So... if anyone knows someone looking for a great starter home, we have one for sale. Newly painted, new carpet and a nice private backyard in quiet Shelbyville, KY.
I had a picture to go by and needed to paint a similar feel on the front of a pillow. It was a real stretch for me as I don't think of myself as a painter, and I don't usually work with Purple. I have to say, though, I'm pretty pleased with how it all came out!
I'm now anxiously waiting for a call from the upholsterer to let me know that a chair I recently designed is done. It's a great chair for horse enthusiasts and I can't wait to see it!!
Off to spend the day painting walls... a little too 'in the box' for me, but it has to be done!!
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