Tree Skirt in Place - Temporarily!

We set up our tree today. It is a pre-lit one with white LED lites. Tomorrow, coloured lights will go on and then the decorating begins!. However, I couldn't resist putting my new tree skirt under it temporarily, to see how it looks.

In the mean time, have a look at these sites:

• Christmas House Tutorial (I like these)
• Christmas Crafts Tutorials on Pinterest
• The Ribbon Retreat Blog Tutorials
• Holiday Craft Tutorials
• 101 Holiday Craft Tutorials

Enjoy!!!

Annapolis Royal Market

Market Day at Annapolis Royal during the summer, has lots of local products including fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, and maple syrup. We came away with some of the maple syrup. A home made cookie was sampled as well but not by me!

The art community is thriving as was evident by the various vendors selling their craft. Wooden carvings were in abundance. This comes from the strong Acadian influence in the area. A few potters and jewellery makers also had work for sale. I also saw some craft from other countries. 

Of course, I zeroed in on the gorgeous hand dyed yarns from the Farm Wool Shop. There I met Cheryl den Hartog, of BarnKat Knitter. She designs her own knitting patterns - the mittens and tea cozy. She said she prefers to experiment with new patterns on smaller projects such as the mittens. The idea for the tea cozy motif came from a cookie cutter. Quilters have been using cookie cutters for applique motifs as well.

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The Lunenburg Makery

The Lunenburg Makery, located at 228 Lincoln Street, Lunenburg, NS, "is a place for learning, making and gathering around craft. It is a multi-purpose craft space including sewing facilities, a library and reading area, a retail space and studio. They offer workshops and courses as well drop-in projects, sew by the hour, evening craft circles and studio space. "        

The retail space carries unique products to get you sewing and quilting, doing hand embroidery and knitting, needle felting, paper craft, kid's crafts and much more.

Visit their blog HERE

This is a destination spot for anyone interested in craft, so if you are in the area, drop in and have a look around. Kat was in the shop when I visited . She was very friendly and helpful.


Locally made kits



Textile art on display

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Embroidery floss, notions and wool felted sheets 

Fabric, patterns, cut fabrics

Wool roving, felt kits, hand embroidery patterns and kits

Hoppy Easter!

Easter Crafts on Pinterest!

Easter is just a day away but just in case you need to make something quickly, check out the following on Pinterest:

• Easter Crafts
• More Easter Crafts
• Easter Ideas
• Easter Ideas for Kids
• Easter Crafts / Décor
• Easter

YouTube Easter & Bunny Quilts

Enjoy!

May 12 is Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is less than a month away so you do have time to whip up some small gift for mom, grandmother, or a special female in your life. I took my mom to visit her friend this past week. This friend was showing me photos of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She related a short story: one of the great-grandchildren was calling her granny the same as the older children. However, one of them said that she was the great-grandmother. The child thought about it for awhile. He had a  truck at home that was called the great big truck. So now he calls her, not great-grandma, but Big Granny! I got a chuckle over that one. That was a tad off topic but I hope you got a chuckle too on this bright, sunny Monday morning.

Now for a few freebies / tutorials to check out for some simple gifts to make.

Sew, Mama, Sew
One Pretty Thing
The Magic Bean
Fave Crafts
Sew Can She
Tip Junkie
Craft Buds
Blueprint Crafts
Zaaberry
Sewn Up
Untrendy Life
All About You

I hope you find something.


Enjoy!

Cat

I've been a cat lover for years. When my daughter started kindergarten we got a shelter kitten named Blossom (on her certificate). She was quickly renamed Mittens because of her 4 white paws. To me, she was always affectionately called Puss!! Puss lived for 17 years.

I was visiting relatives in Ottawa and they have a beautiful white Persian called Tissue (Scotties tissue commercial). These photos are for my stitching friend in NL who has cats. She'll know who I mean.

To celebrate cats, here are a few links to check:

• Cat Bean Bag
• Cat Pillow
• Fat Cats Wall Hanging
• Cats & Kittens Crafts
• Appliqué Cat Quilt / Hanging
• Terry Cats (cute ones)
• Catsville!
• Free Cat Quilt Patterns

I have more but they will have to wait for another time.

Enjoy!

Quilt Market

Five local vendors had booths at the Cabot Quilters' Guild Quilt Show - A Quintal of Quilts, this past weekend. They all carry a variety of fabrics and notions for quilting. Four of these vendors sell sewing machines, sergers and embroidery machines.

• Sewing World, St. John's - Singer and Janome Sewing Machines
• Sew Many Stitches, St. John's - Brother Sewing Machines
• C & M Crafts 'N' Stuff, Carmanville - Husqvarna Sewing Machines
• Piece Makers Quilt Shop, Conception Bay South - Bernina and Babylock Sewing Machines
• Thimblebox, Marystown - fabric, notions and crafting

Take a look!

A Gem of a Find!

Bugs and Fishes by Laura "Lupin" Howard, UK, came to my attention today. One of the embroiderers (thanks Jewel) tagged it as a place to visit for a free cross stitch heart brooch. However, Laura's site has lots of other interesting handmade felty things too. Yes, she works mainly in felt.  Laura shares lots of free projects and writes tutorials for various craft publications. I own a copy of Fa la la la Felt in which she has original designs for a Gingerbread House; Star Bright; Cherry & Bright, a christmas stocking and Layer Play, a rainbow of circles ornament. Her own published book is Super-Cute Felt.
Why not drop by her site for a visit. You won't be disappointed!
Enjoy!           

Mini Art Pieces

I've been doing a series of framed 5" x 5" textile art, called 'Back Yard' since the fall of 2009. Check my previous post here for information about them. The photo below shows two of the pieces that are currently in the Craft Council Shop, Devon House.

The Craft Council just opened an on-line shop to make it easier for people to buy unique one-of-a-kind ars and crafts. One of my Piscius Fantasticus is one of the items listed.

2014 Winter Olympics, Sochi, Russia

The "patchwork quilt" is the concept design for the 2014 Winter Olympics to be held in Sochi, Russia. The design was created from motifs of ornaments of the most famous Russian national crafts.
One such craft is Gzhel Ceramics, a pottery made of burnt white clay, covered with painted glaze. This pottery is traditionally blue on white. (see photo below)

Check out a few more of Russia's national crafts:
Khokhloma
Palekh Miniatures
Trihedral Champleve Enamelling

More Journal Book Covers

I finally finished all the journal book covers. You can see the previous ones here. Looking at my photos, the little yellow house and red bird are there twice. So much for trying to be careful!! The other photo shows some of the batiks I used. If you click on the fabric photo, you will see the free motion stitching I did using the Rainbow threads. These journal covers can be purchased at Devon House Craft Shop, Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Totally Baby!

This post is totally dedicated to babies! It's so easy to just go buy things for the little ones but if you want to personalize a gift, you have to make it! Some new moms also want to use hand crafted items. I have found some interesting things for you to make. Check these out! Most of them are freebies.

Baby On The Go Diaper Bag  and Baby Burp Cloths & Bib Set from Moda Bakeshop
Burp Cloths from Homemade Mamas
Patterns for Bibs! Lots more here at Sewing Support
A variety of baby crafts
Vanilla Joy has a Tablecloth Bib Tutorial
Baby Bibs from Martha Stewart
Knitted baby sweater
Bitty Booties to sew
Miniature Applique Quilt 
Vintage Toy Baby Elephant from Baby Bloggie
Kimono Baby Bootie Shoes
How to Sew a Bandana Bib

Needle Felting

Last night at the Eastern Edge Quilt Guild, we had a talk and demonstration on needle felting. Quilters got a chance to try this technique.

• The Silver Penny has information and videos about needle felting basics.  

• Mielke's Fiber Arts shows how to needle felt a lady bug. Learn about the kind of needles used in needle felting. 
• Some free patterns at Living Felt. Living Felt also shows how to felt a pattern that is drawn on a base fabric. 
• More ideas at Felting Crafts . 

• Learn to make a felted apple at the Felted Ewe. This looks like a nice project to try. 

• Another apple pattern at Maddy Craft. 

• Felted wool purse pattern at Owning-Alpaca. 

• Just in time for valentine's day, a needle felted heart/pouch.

• Needle felting without wool at Threads.

So experiment with a new technique and have fun!!