Spirit of Friendship Dolls

The mailman was my best friend yesterday! He brought me a package of friendship. My Spirit of Friendship Dolls arrived!! This was a doll swap I signed up for at CQI.
Well, these dolls just made my day. And brought a smile to my face every time I looked at them!





This first picture is the doll I rec'd from Lyn G. She is so soft and look at the silk ribbon embroidery. I love silk ribbon embroidery and just don't do enough of it.
And the itty bitty leaves! They are charms. Just beautiful!!








This second picture is the doll I rec'd from Lynn. (Yes, a different Lynn) and her name is Oceana. Look at that beading!!! And her expression is "serene" to me. I hope she rubs off on me.


I don't think I posted pictures of the dolls I made for the trade. I'll have to go check.

Oh, and Jackie was the swap hostess with the mostess for this. Thank you Jackie!!

Christmas Stitchery

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have been doing some small stitcheries. Keeping my hands busy. This was a free one but I can no longer find it to share a link. Sorry. :(











I have been machine quilting the beige quilt and as a reward for getting it half done (yes, I said half done!!!), I decided to make a small quilted wallhanging with this stitchery. I think it came out pretty cute. It is 10 X 12. If you really look you can tell that it didn't come out perfectly straight. I was just happily sewing along and decided to leave it along. I'm not going to loose sleep over this. I was having fun. That is all that matters.












I was at a friends house the other day and she has painted and hung new "stuff" on the walls and I really think this wallhanging "belongs" in her house. Maybe I'll make another one! We shall see.

There are more stitcheries that I made. Four birds actually. All in light brown, dark brown, green and very light yellow. I only have a picture of one to share. I can't find the others.

I truly am my own worst enemy! When I find them, I shall share.

I Won

Look what arrived in my mailbox today. That envelope was taped up pretty good. I was afraid to use sissors so I had to carefully rip it by hand. I pulled out this neatly wrapped package that was tied with some hand-dyed silk ribbon. It is beautiful! And it feels very soft too. (I haven't done anything with silk ribbon in quite some time...)
















This is what was inside. Isn't is just the cutest thing ever?!! And it smells wonderful also. Pat said it was to hang in the car, but of course this is hanging on the wall in my sewing room. I don't spend enough time in my car.
















I won this because I made a good guess about what she was making. So, thank you Pat. I love it!!

Bathing Beauty

Bathing Beauty
Originally uploaded by sewquilty.

I'm still here... trying to keep myself busy and out of trouble. I've been working on some small stitcheries. This one called "Bathing Beauty" was the first one I did. My Aunt will be swimming again to help her back. Isn't this the perfect thing to add to the front of a tote. It is sitting on my sewing machine table just waiting for me to sew it all together. I just have to think it through "before" I start. Of course there is the option of following a pattern. Unfortunately I know me, and I wouldn't follow it anyway! Even though I know I will get frustrated at some point, I do enjoy making things as I go along. Hopefully it won't be too long before I have a picture of a tote bag to post!

A walk at the beach

Jones Beach that is. My husband and I enjoy walks on the boardwalk. Of course we don't do this in the summer! That is reserved for sitting at the waters edge. And of course dipping in the ocean with my youngest son. Those days are over for this year. So, the walks are back. We ventured out today not knowing just how far we would get. What is left of hurricane Noel is just touching the coast here. Rain and wind gusts. Actually it isn't raining here at my house, but at the beach it was. And it was painful with the wind blowing it in your face! But no matter what the weather, it is still beautiful at the beach. Here is a picture of the Jones Beach water tower as seen through a wet windshield.

A whole lot of nothing

That is what I've been up to lately. I don't think there is a creative cell left in my body! And what a process it is just to make a decision too. (Way too much stressful "stuff" going on here at home) So, I have decided to make a quilt. I used a pattern that didn't involve any thinking what so ever. Alternating 9 patches. I wanted to make a quilt for my older sister and she likes yellow. I used neutrals and bits of yellow in the center. Well, while I do like this quilt it isn't "pretty". I am not very close to my sister(s), but she deserves a pretty quilt! This quilt will go to my husband who has said that the other quilts are too small. This one is a bit bigger. And he really doesn't care about color or pattern and I do like this quilt. It is peaceful if a quilt can be called that. Anyway, I am machine quilting around the blocks and then I will hand quilt inside the blocks. My winter project.

As for my sisters quilt I was thinking soft colors. Pinks and yellows. Probably a flower basket pattern of some sort.

Before I get to that though, I do have 2 bald cq dolls waiting for their hair and wings for the CQI swap. I think I am probably up to the mailing date by now. I am so far behind in my emails also.

Oh, and there is another doll whose skirt is still just ribbon pinned to her waist. I bet she would like to be finished. Did I mention that she is also bald. Just as bald as another doll that I completed. Do you think I have hair "issues"?

I hope to be back soon!