I'm so excited to show you all the fun I've had getting ready
for this incredible blog hop!
(apologies up front...this is a long one, a really long one...you've been warned...ho ho ho)
My little mouse heart is just going pitter patter!
First a HUGE HUG OF THANKS to
Madame Samm...
She has performed a Christmas Miracle..
I've never had
this much done...
this soon...
before Christmas...
eegads...
it's still only November!
If you've been following the hop since last week,
then you know our mission was to show you some quickie gift ideas...
things that could made in a flash...
or a dash...
even better if you can pull from your stash.
not that kinda 'stash!
We also have a major swap happening,
so very carefully planned by our very own
Cheerleader Elf
I think Santa really needs to hire her to coordinate his deliveries!
She's such a cutie...dontcha just wanna pinch her little elf tootsies?
This is the time I reveal what the oh so wonderful
sent to me from across the pond.
Well....you know what they say about the best laid plans.
I KNOW whatever Lyndsey made is just absolutely Superb!
I know it's...
Totally Awesome!!!
What neither Lyndsey or I know as I write...
is exactly "where" the package is.
Here...
It was as close to me last week as our Post Office...
barely 3 miles away...
not anymore.
Lyndsey sent her package out with plenty of time to spare!
Somehow the PO couldn't find me.
True...I've only had that address for 26yrs...
Lyndsey sent her package out with plenty of time to spare!
Somehow the PO couldn't find me.
True...I've only had that address for 26yrs...
By now it is probably back in London.
And you know what?
I've ALWAYS wanted to visit London!
Maybe this is fate...
Wouldn't that be fab?
Not to worry dearest Lyndsey...
I won't suddenly show up at your door..lol.
Wouldn't that be fab?
Not to worry dearest Lyndsey...
I won't suddenly show up at your door..lol.
Some things are just beyond our control...
Good things come to those that wait....
and you all know how much I love anticipation!
Thank You Lyndsey...
I KNOW I LOVE IT!
Meanwhile back in wild and wacky Florida
we spent a stormy rainy Monday afternoon watching for tornadoes...
(thankfully none in our immediate area)
as well as preparing for 2-3 nights of freezing temps.
Brrrrrr!
(if I wanted the cold weather I would be neighbors with dear Madame! lol)
So....
let's warm it up a bit!
let's warm it up a bit!
Grab a cuppa tea...
(I'm a coffee gal...but let's drink to Lyndsey!)
(I'm a coffee gal...but let's drink to Lyndsey!)
Pip Pip
Tally Ho
Let's Go
Time for the Show!
My BFF Diane gave me this magazine last year.
She loved it so much...she bought it twice.
I found some of the cutest things to inspire me inside.
One was a simple drawstring bag.
It's been forever since I've made a drawstring bag but I thought
it would be the perfect thing to make for another swap I'm in.
With the scraps left over...I also made two "String Hot Pads"
and a Mug Rug...isn't that Santa Mug just the cutest?
Here's another Hot Pad...
It could also be a mug rug...with the right mug course.
I think Mr.Snowman is pretty perfect!
The 'string hot pads' (or if you'd rather you can call them potholders)
are about 9" square.
I layered:
1 background fabric (right side down - maybe 10" square)
next 1 thickness of "Insulbrite" (thermal batting)
and
1 thickness of Dream Cotton batting
I stitched on my 'strings' of fabric thru all the layers...
it's 'quilt as you go'
fast and fun!
I added some quilting you could see...
squared up...
stitched on binding by machine
but finished by hand...
Done.
there is More!
(did you doubt?)
That drawstring bag was so much fun...
I had to make another.
But wait...
oh look...
it's a Bobble Head Christmas Mouse!
Can you believe it?
My BFF Sandie finds the cutest things...
(I'm such a lucky mouse with so many BFF's near and far)
(I'm such a lucky mouse with so many BFF's near and far)
Back to the bag...
which then led to the little scissor holder...
needlebook...
and
a mug rug that preferred to grow up and be a pincushion.
Which led to MORE pincushions...
needlebooks...
another scissor holder
yes, one more 'string' mat Mr. Snowman is resting upon.
The scissor holders are fun and fast.
You can find a tute from the Moda Bakeshop here.
The pincushions above were made with one hexie block made
from Jaybird Quilts "Night Sky" pattern...
but instead of using the full size measurement...
I cut my pieces using a 1-1/2" strip...
if you have the pattern that will make sense to you.
Back of pincushions....
If another Christmas Miracle occurs...
I will return with a tute for my needleholder.
And if you're really good...
I'll even show you what it looks like...
"opened up"
(in other words...I forgot the picture! oops)
You do believe in miracles, dontcha?
Next up...
a couple more mug rugs...
ok...
no...it is not primitive....
yes...it is not finished.
again...Night Sky block
(using a 2-1/2" strip for piecing).
Jaybird Quilts "Tiny Dancer"...one made into a candle mat...
but alas....
I had no candle to sit on the mat....
Mr. Snowman gets around!
More Rug Fun!
The cat rug was the perfect time to play with a block I found in the magazine Diane gave me.
The birdie rug has flown around blogland....
thanks to Samelia's Mum for reminding me I wanted to make it!
It's really quick to make.
Check out her tutorial...
you don't have to wing-it.
(eggnog humor)
I fell head over heels in love with that retro cat fabric.
We are in the process of re-arranging the quilt shop.
We have the sweetest little table found at the antique shop behind us.
Purrfect fabric...
Purrfect timing...
Quickie experiment....
A mini runner....
Just focus fab and two borders, top and bottom....
Simple straight quilting.
Done in an evening.
(ok...started in the afternoon...lol)
Easy peasy!
Simple enough to adapt to your fabric and the size you would like.
That purrfect fabric had a friend....
which led to MORE Hot Pads!
You know cats are like bunnies....
Where there's two....
There will be more!
Where there's two....
There will be more!
So Adorable!
Oh...dontcha just LOVE the salt & pepper shakers?
They were a gift from our good friend and of course "BFF" Debbie.
I noticed something 'odd' about their...uh...'bottoms'.
Have you seen these before?
Do you know what it is?
As luck would have it...
during the afternoon's photo shoot...
my friend Betty came by the shop...
and she recognized the 'shakers' right off.
Her grandmother had a set...
when you tipped them over...
they MEOWED!
Yes...that's a little kitty voice box....
in it's butt. LOL
My shakers...
unlike me...
are silent.
Ok...back to the hot pads...
another easy peasy make...
here are the dimensions...
I think that's all you really need.
Again...I love them 'thick' and used the same combo of
Insulbrite & cotton batting as I mentioned with the string mats.
Whew!
I think we're done.
And you can't even imagine the pictures I did not use!
If you made it this far...
Bless Your Ever Lovin' Heart!
Be sure to visit all the other amazing bloggers today
if you haven't seen them already.
Today-Tuesday, Nov. 18
Tomorrow you'll get to see what I made for that sweet Quilt N Queen!
And while I'm at it...
here's the rest of the weeks schedule!
(be sure to scroll to the end of this page...I just remembered something else! lol)
Wed. Nov 19th
(be sure to scroll to the end of this page...I just remembered something else! lol)
Wed. Nov 19th
Thurs, Nov. 20
Not a quick project but I wanted to make sure to point out our 'Row by Row' pattern
from the 2014 shop hop is now available free for you to download!
Here I made it into a table runner with sewing themed fabrics.
Click HERE to find the pattern.
OK...
Now I'm really done!
((SMILE))
Thanks again my friends for the visit!
