The Cat on the Mat

Hi, I'm Sarah, and I'm an addict. Yup, one teeny weeny, imperfect, crooked little quilt, and I already know this "womanly art" (I saw that phrase on a blog today - love it!) is my new addiction.


I've been drooling over quilts and quilting for awhile now. I've tried my hand at some small scale pieces, pincushions and make-up bags - but the new, modern take on quilts with new modern fabrics have been calling my name. It was inevitable. I love colour, I love prints, I love making things. Quilting and I were always going to fall in love.


So I jumped in. Admittedly, with some bordering on ugly fabric I picked up before I knew what I loved (hey, at least it didn't matter if I failed big time using this fabric!) - but jump I did. I followed my usual MO - no classes, teach myself by reading then learn by doing.


This is the result....

Garish? yeah - pretty much. Am I still stupidly proud of it? Yup! This is my Cat Mat. I have one of those cats that likes to sit ON things. Usually anything black she can shed white fur all over. So I made this little quilt for Luna, and she loves it....

It's great for sleeping on....

and cleaning on.....

and practicing her over-the-shoulder pose on.....

and she gets very mad should it happen to be stolen for awhile!

Here's the back....this is where you can see my not-straight-at-all stitch in the ditch quilting, and yeah, I hand finished the binding - but only because I bought single fold bias tape and thought it was double fold! Oh well, good practice.

Yeah, I could have centered it better on my pieced fabric too - but again, I love it. My first itty bitty quilt.

I already have the top of a disappearing nine patch table runner sewn and waiting to be quilted. Amy Butler fabric this time....serious fabric love there. I hope to have it finished to share soon!

Thoughts of You...

This is my second post for the day - please scroll down to read about Handmade for Christchurch!

Today my Nana's undergoing surgery and will have a stay in the hospital afterwards, so I wanted to make a bright card for her room - and of course had to include a little gift.

I've used the WSC#8 sketch - and the die-mentional challenge to add dimension to your card using dies. I've also included flowers for the C4C challenge this week.

No images on this card - just the sentiments and die cut shapes.

I also made a softly quilted bag to send some moisturiser and lip balm in - this is my favourite hospital stay present, I think the little luxurys can make a big difference, especially in all that air conditioning.
I love that I can make a bag like this now - gone is my fear of zippers!

Colour Combo: Crumb Cake, Regal Rose, Bashful Blue, Whisper White Stamps:  Top Shelf Sentiments, Goodness from the Garden (MFT) Paper: Walk in the Park (SU) Bright Polka Dots (MME) Dies: Label 4 Nestabilities (Spellbinders) Scalloped Scallop, Jumbo Scallop, Butterfly, Rolled Rose and Textile Rectangle Dienamics (MFT) Punches: Scallop Oval (SU) Other: Regal Rose Ribbon, Button, Linen Thread (SU) Rhinestones (Kaisercraft)

Clear Sleeve Gift Box & Zippy Wallet

Hi everyone - I have a couple of fun things to share today, a great sewing tutorial link and a gift box! This is my last week hostessing the Project Tuesday challenges and it's been a blast. This week we're making my clear sleeve gift boxes - the basic instructions are in this post here. They are really simple though - I always make my base box then just wrap the acetate around the box to make the slip cover - no measuring required.

For my box today I kept it pretty simple. Ribbon bands around the edges of the slip cover and a label decorated with paper flowers.

The largest flower is simple Scalloped Circle punches from designer paper that I wet & scrunched up before moulding the flower shape. I sprayed the flower with Glimmermist to disguise the white edges. Once the flower dries it's nice and sturdy, perfect for decorating a box.

I was making this box specifically for the gift that's inside....

So I matched the colours to the little purse. I've used Crumb Cake (stamped with the old Linen background in Crumb Cake ink to match the linen fabric) Regal Rose and Rose Red. That's a Rose Red button on the purse - love those marbled buttons! 

The purse comes from this wonderful tutorial by Anna from Noodlehead. This is my fifth sewing project and the second of these little purses I've made - Anna's tutorials have been instrumental in my getting to grips with zips! (say that three times fast!)

The purse is fully lined which I love - it gives such a nice finished quality. I also pulled out the beading supplies and fashioned a little glass and Tibetan silver zipper pull for that extra bit of bling!

I hope you'll join me and the rest of the design team in making Clear Sleeve Gift Boxes for Project Tuesday this week!




Stamps: Afterthoughts (hostess), Linen Background
Paper & Card: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Rose Red
Ink: Crumb Cake, Regal Rose
Punches: Scalloped Circle Punch
Other: Regla Rose Ribbon, Soft Subtles Brads

Other: Prima Flowers, Nestabilities, Brads, Flower Button, Glimmermist

Creating....

....I've been doing lots of it! Not necessarily stamping though. This month I've been working on a wide range of projects. A little candlewicking, a crocheted spring scarf, some fun projects with the Big Shot and an awful lot of....well....here's a photo from this past weekend's shopping...

Yup. I might be addicted already. I have a sewing machine my darling husband bought me for Valentine's Day (best present ever!) back in 2002. It had been a few years since it saw use, and the desire to further my limited sewing skills sat on the backburner.

This month for my birthday I got some essential tools (like a rotary cutter - love cutting paper with scissors, hate using them on fabric!) I was needing to tackle some wonderful online tutorials I've been saving for years and ever since I've been on a total fabric kick.

I've conquered my fear of zippers (not so hard after all!) and I'm slowly picking up techniques and tips to further my skill set. When I stamp I'm very free form, just trying out whatever occurs to me - so it's nice to know I CAN follow a pattern and come out with something usable.

I've created a little sewing corner in my craft room, and found a mini ironing board fits perfectly on my stamping desk (I just have to keep it tidy- easier said than done!) I've gotta say, I'm way more inclined to bust out the iron when it comes to crafting!

I'm already falling asleep every night designing potential projects in my head, so this might be an addiction that sticks around awhile! I need to get on and take some photos of my finished items and will share the fun tutorials I've been following. If you have any favs, feel free to pass them on!