matchbox#6 and a finished camerabag for aChristmas gift

Well today has gotten off to a bit of a rough start, and it is so very cold here today, I  can not seem to get warm. Thinking of a nice cup of hot chocolate to warm me up, and lighten my mood. I seem to be real crabby today!

   Today's matchbox comes from Michelle at Faeriedustdreams. I so love the 1920's theme! Was it all tinsel, and glitter back then? The graphic is so sweet, and she put a pretty red rhinestone on the end of the box. The little gift is a bottle cap magnet with the same image. I do so love it. Thank you Michelle!

 

matchbox #5

Today's box comes from Wendy Ford. It is so pretty!  I like that she used fabric on it, because I did on mine also! and the pleated trim is great! Inside the box is a little tiny mitten. I love mittens. One of the children books I so loved  Is 'The Mitten" where all the little woodland critters take refuge in it. So special. Thank you Wendy

Matchbox#4!

This has been such a fun swap! There are so many. many talented people in the world, are there not? Today's box comes from Michelle at woodandfabric. I so love it! This is such a beautiful little box, it is made to look like a little book. Angels have such a message to give. Did you know according to scriptures, we are a wonderment to them? That is such an amazing thought to me.  Inside the box is an altered domino with a graphic of the Eiffel Tower.  So want to go there someday! Thank you so much Michelle.

Day 3 matchbox #3

Today's box is a very retro style. I love it! My Dad is crazy for this style, he loves the " Jetson's " and this style always reminds me of him. Inside is a shiny glittered star. This comes from Jenny at "The Red Bulletin Board"

Thank you so much Jenny!

Matchbox#2

Here is my box #2. So sweet! I so love the detail on this one. The little tree pin inside ,I LOVE. I especially love the Paper it was wrapped in! A itsey bitsey paper doll of a choir boy, what a special touch. Unfortunately, I do not know who made this for me, as I have either lost the tag, or there was not one attached to this one. If this is your sweet work please let me know.

My first little match box

My first little matchbox comes from Molly, This is so very pretty! Inside is a very tiny shell, Molly says comes from the NC coast. As a child I visited the NC coast with my Uncle and his family. Then when I grew up and got married, my husband and I spent  a couple nights there on our Honeymoon. Thank you so much Molly!

countdown to Christmas matchbox Swap

I while back I participated in a swap Hosted by a swap for all seasons. This was a really fun little swap, I enjoyed my self very much, sitting and making all the matchboxes, and the little surprise to fit inside. This was so not my original idea, because time got away from me. They turned out really, really cute anyway. I so hope all my partners in this swap really like what I did. Everything I did, I did myself from the number buttons on the outside of the box, to the tiny little mouse inside the box, with his little hat. All handmade my me!

my little witch

I am not into Halloween, and witches, and dead and all that rides along with it. I can go into a very log explanation as to why,but I am sure most of you would not want to here it. Has to do with good and evil. Who is on the Lords side and all that.
   But the imagination, fairy tales,fantasy, folk lore I enjoy. This little bear, I found on a shelf in a local thrift store. She sat there all dusty and tattered. One of my swap partners said that she loved Halloween that it was her favorite holiday to decorate for. I was looking for something to include in her box. I picked the little bear up, she was only a dollar. I had this little debate with myself, you know," should I" or" shouldn't I". I thought, wouldn't she look adorable with new cloths, and she is such a perfect little size,and she is so cute,even if she is a witch. The "I should" won out. She came home with me.
  I went through my fabric stash and found the perfect satin purple with moons and stars on it, then I pulled some black satin from my boxes, and then some black organza. I was not sure if I had any black lace, but I must have picked some up at a yard sale some where.
   I carefully removed her dusty and torn cloths. Gave her a good bath. Turned her old clothes inside out and traced around them, making new patterns for her new set of clothes.  I carefully placed my patterns onto my fabric scraps, cut them out. Sat down at my sewing machine and did a little sewing. I then gathered up the little bear and  all my little sewing notions and the machine stitched pieces, and headed up to my television room turned the TV on and sat and stitched the hems of the dress, made the little apron out of lace, stitched the brim of the hat to the cone shaped piece I made for the hat. Gathered some organza and some sheer ribbon and embellished the little hat. Put some fiber fill into the hat. I sat it on her little head, and I was satisfied with my efforts. I took the little dress and slipped it over the head of the bear, and shaped it around her little body a stitch there, a fold here,and a gather around her waist. stitched her little lace apron on over her dress, then I took her new little cape turned the collar over and gathered it around her shoulders. Took some fancy beaded trim and added some ties to her cape. Made three tiny tiny black organza roses and glued them at her neck. Got my glue gun and took the little hat and glued it to her head, at an angle to give her a bit of an attitude, plus I wanted her to show off one of her little ears, she is a bear after all!

   set her up on my table and admired her for the rest of the evening. I am happy that she is going to a nice home.

Inspiration box swap

I joined a little swap a few weeks ago. The boxes were suppose to mailed out On the 26th of September. Mine didn't get mailed until yesterday. I was delayed, because of some delays with an embroidery order. The embroidery order was a HUGE challenge! It took up the last two weeks of August, and all of September! Talk about your stress level being on over drive!! Any way, it was finally finished and out the door! A great big YEY! on my part!
  So this week I was able to do my thing with my swap boxes. It was almost like a mini vacation for me, except that I had more embroidery orders pending that kind of detracted from my fun......
 The challenge was to complete two large box boxes and fill them with vintage or vintage inspired what nots and doo dads to inspire creativity for our swap partners. They all had to be black and white. I in the end kind of step out side the boundaries but..... I enjoyed myself!

my little witch, How I love her! I found her in tattered clothing at a local thrift store. I brought her home and stripped her of her awful dusty torn clothing and made her a whole new set of clothing. If I had more time I would have searched in my stash of stuff for a mini broom,or at least made her a trick or treat bag but....

this is some of the items I put together that I knew were not going to fit into the little match box but all well...I lace folders are vintage place-mats I tied around some images that I printed off the internet. Most of them came from the Graphicfairy, and some came from a Fancifultwist, there are some tags I made and some note-cards that I embellished.

These are glass salt shakers that I got at a yard sale.There was a pretty porcelain in the box that I really wanted, but I had to buy the whole box of them in order to get it! So what do you do but recycle!  I found some small cork stoppers that fit into the top of them, as the original  tops were cracked and broken. Cut a circle of sparkle black fabric and gathered that around the cork. To the top of that I glued some plastic Christmas ornaments that I spray painted black. Then I hand made about a dozen fabric roses and some other fabric flowers and glued them around the cork. Added some black and then some cream lace around the neck of the shakers, tied some hand made tags( I had the wish stamp custom made for me,the curly cue one came from the dollar bin at Micheal's Arts and Crafts) to them. I think they came rather precious. I did not put anything in them, because I was afraid it would spill out during shipping.

Here are my actual match boxes. I love them! I could not find black and cream paper at my local craft stores, and I so adored the flocked kind. I fell in love with the white with black scroll flowers on what I used. I wanted cream background, so I made a cup of tea and steeped it real Strong, poured it into a spray bottled and made my white background cream! The handles were made by stringing my fabric yo-yo's a big plastic bead, and i rose bead I got off a vintage necklace i scored at a yard sale! The decoration on top is a small doily from a dollar store, I made the lace leaf on my embroidery machine and another fabric yo-yo, topped off by a broken earring from a very large box of jewelry I bought about 8 years ago!  I filled them to the brim with all kinds of things. I found a black cat charm/bead on sale at Hobby Lobby that just opened near me, and I found some stretchy white skeletons at the local Dollar General. I placed them on the very top of the items inside the box. Sorry, I did not take a picture.

These are to fabric bags I made. I fell in love with the fabric at JoAnns  and had to find a way to use it in this swap. So I made the bags to place the boxes in! I had to use two different fonts for the initials I loved the font I used for the A it was perfectly scrolly, but unfortunately not all the letters looked like what they were suppose to be, hence I had to use another for the S. I wanted them to pop on the bag,so I first embroidered them onto black wool felt and then stitched them onto the bags. I also made the poof y poms,put a pin back on them so they could be removed.

I think this has to be my favorite(aside from my little witch) This came together so well. When I was looking for inspiration for this swap, I went to Micheals and walked around. My husband came in with me(joy) he needed to keep me on track of time, because we were going to see Avatar and did not want to miss the 4;30 showing! Anyone else out there know how hard it is to find inspiration when your hubby is following you around the craft store?lol What do you want that for?What are you doing with that, do you really NEED that?.... He was not that bad truly. Anyway... at the end of their dollar and two dollar baskets they had four are five baskets filled with ink stampers,magnets,keys stationary with these inspiring thoughts,like rest a while,discover, vision, shine . Bingo! I found my inspiration for my swap! I bought some ink stamps, some magnets with shine and a candlestick, and some keys. I loved them so much! So, I knew I had this embroidery design of a chandelier, so one thing led to another, and this is what I came up with! My partners also get some tags that I made with the stamps, a set of shine magnets, and a lovely metal key that is about five inches long, and a Chandelier crystal that is backed with a black and white damask design.

I so so love how this all came together! everything came so nice. Sure hope my swap partners enjoy these things as much as I enjoyed making them!

This is everything ready to be put into the mailing boxes!

 Our host Heather from speckledegg said that we could include Halloween type items or not. My two partners celebrate the holiday I do not. But I did give them some things for the holiday, and they were quite fun to include.

A Family Reunion Time

There are some things in life that you just have to attend. The family reunion is one of them. My husband's youngest brother and his wife decided that it was time once again to try and get his family. Mom and Dad are getting older and not sure how much longer they will dwell with us here on earth.

None of my children were able to attend this time. I wish so much that they were there.It seems as though most of this generation were missing. My oldest is in Germany, my youngest is in the Pacific Northwest, and my middle just had a baby. All good excuses, but, again,  I so wish  they were there. Hubbies older sister was there with her hubby, and her oldest daughter, with her two daughters. Her youngest was on a cruise in Alaska. I think we were all a little envious of her! The middle brother of my husbands family was there with his wife, but their children were also missing in action. The oldest starting a college teaching job, after just getting back from a very exciting research trip to Peru, and the youngest, just starting her new job in Manhattan as a researcher on malaria and other such bug carrying diseases,after just graduating from Cornell. All of the youngest brothers children were there. It was so wonderful to get to know them a little better. They too will soon be scattered for a while, with the youngest leaving for an extended stay in New Zealand, and one of the oldest getting ready to be stationed in Germany with the Air Force. The two middle boys are employed at the fathers plumbing business and are quite successful, one just becoming a father,and the other one looking forward to his marriage in November. An interesting story is wrapped up in these sons: there are three born in the same year! Two are the natural sons of my husbands youngest brother, who were born ten and a half months apart in the same year, and the third is his adopted son, who was also born in the same year. He remarried and adopted his wife's boy. It is such a touching story. This is truly a wonderful family.
My husbands sister in law cooked and cooked and then cooked some more! We had such a great time, relaxing and talking and getting to know each other again. All of them worked together like a well oiled machine and made the rest of us feel so welcomed. Thank you so much Linda and Brian!

A gift for a princess

I visited with my daughter on Friday, and she showed me what my younger daughter had sent to her, for a gift for her new baby. It is extraordinary, and such a perfect gift!  

It is of a princess walking with a Lion. The garland under the picture, also made by Kimberly, says Princess. The colors are exactly perfect for the newborn's nursery! Kathy, the mom was given a prophesy concerning this little baby. That she would be a worshiper in the house of the Lord.

Kimberly, the Aunt is one of the worship leaders at her church. She sent this in a letter, that she had wanted to have framed with the painting, but it was not possible.  "Oh my dearest Lydia, I have prayed for you, That you would walk with the Lion. Who is deep in Love with you."

This just tugs at my heart, and blesses me so much! I love my daughters! They are such women of Faith. I know this little one will be raised in a good and loving home.

After the phone call

Well, Friday was a day to beat all days! After my husband called to inform me of the accident, I waited all day to find out how things really were. Hubby had a rough day, but certainly not as rough as it could have been. Everyone survived the accident. The driver of the motor home was the most injured, having a broken ankle, a broken arm,some broken ribs and a laseration an the back of the head where a television fell down and and hit him. Things cold have been much, much worst. I marvel at the out come considering the way the Motor home looks and the way my husband tractor trailer looks.

In the motorhome there were two families traveling together. Grandpa was driving when the tire blew. I think there were four teenagers, parents and grandma and grandpa. 
   This is the motorhome, There certainly were angels watching out for this family and my husband! They were heading home to Texas from their vacation.  The company flew my husband home, I collected him at the airport at around midnight. The boss and another driver are driving down to Tennessee to collect the tractor, and yet another driver retieved the trailer and is on his way to deliver the load. There was only slight damage to the trailer, and the load did not spill at all. The driver first down there went to the accident scene, and told my husband that he must have been airborn at one time! All I can say is thank you Lord!     

Bog hopping/Rest in Peace

Last weekend, I was doing some blog hopping, and twice, on two different blogs I came across the words "rest in peace" Now we all know what the words mean at first glance. Someone heart has been torn out by the loss of someone close, and are doing their best to let go and move on. There is always a heart wrenching story behind those words every time you see them, and my heart always breaks a little for those who are walking threw those stories in real life.
However, those words resonated in my head, and I could not get them out. Were they a warning, a call to pray, or just a word from God to remind me to rest in His peace? Turns out, it is all three. I am an intercessor in the Lords church, and I have trained my ear to be aware of when God is trying to speak, but that is not the case all the time, sometimes I miss that small still voice.
This week my son was facing surgery on his back, my sister was buying a new car, going to Chicago,and still dealing with complications with kidney stones and pain left over from her car accident over the forth of July weekend. I also had to drive her down to my parents summer home for some business she was transacting with them. This I was concerned about, because I do not like to drive at night. The head light glare really blinds me, and we live in a heavy white tail deer populated area. My husband drives over the road, and was heading to Mississippi.
  So I really needed to be in prayer. My son came through his surgery just fine. My sister got her car. Right now she is sitting at the airport waiting for her flight to board. My trip down to my parents, went well, I almost hit a family of racoons, but I saw them in enough time to brake. There was a deer standing by the side of the road, and she behaved herself and stayed right where she was and watched me pass. But my husband, his tractor was totalled this morning!
  He was traveling on interstate 40 down in Tennesee,and was in the passing lane, going by a motor home, pulling a jeep. The motor home blew a tire on the drivers side and the driver lost control. Husband tried to take evasive action, but the motor home collided with him and pushed him across the median and across the two lanes of on coming traffic, into the wooded hillside on the opposite side of the road. My husband is all right, just shook up a bit. He beleives the driver of the motor home was injured. Troopers were trying to figure out how they were going to get the truck out of where it landed the last time I spoke with my husband.
  I am so thankful that I listen to the Lords voice and was praying. There was no on coming traffic when the accident occured. As near as anyone knows injuries are not life threatening, my husband was shook up, but not injured, and his load did not spill out all over the place. His trucking company may not be very pleased right now,but this is why insurance is required.
  So I guess we are all required to pray, and to rest in the Lord. Storms come, but we need to pray, and rest in peace.

Meet Sully

I finally got a good picture of "Sully" so I thought I would share him. "Sully" is really, really big! I made him for my grandson as a Christmas gift. Placing him outside the door to the apartment, we pretended that he knocked on the door, and had Lanny open the door to see who was there. To this day, he still can't figure out out how he knocked on the door. Being the beautiful, smart, intelligent grandson that he is, I know he will figure it out someday.
  I so wanted Landen to have  him for Christmas. I had given him the Movie "Monsters Inc" when we were at his home for Thanksgiving. He had been watching it non-stop, and particularity liked Sully, but I liked the the idea of a three legged monster. My "Sully" is a little over four feet tall. He came into being Christmas eve, I was up until 3:30 completing him. (those blanket stitches around his mouth were added at that time of the morning!

  My husband posted a picture of him on facebook and my son who is in Germany got a little mad, because his little boy did not get one. The only reason was I could not figure out how to mail a four foot Monster! I do have another one cut out and ready to go. Jonathon will receive it when they get back stateside, hopefully in October
  I used furry fleece for the arms and legs, Purple minky for the body, green polar fleece for the horns, cuffs, and a leg ruffles. Socks with toes in them for the "ears" regular socks for the feet, and a pair of children s stretchy gloves for its hands, and felt for the eyes and nose. I had fun making him, and he was well received, even by Landen's parents. My daughter was a bit afraid of the space a four foot monster would take up!

Pink Birdy Pinata

In between the business of life, I have had a number of embroidery orders and a couple of custom orders. I thought I would share with you the adorable pinata I made for a little girls birthday party. Her Mom wanted to match the little bird on the invitations that had been sent. Pink and green were the chosen colors.
   I first took the graphic and put it under an opaque projector  and projected it on the wall, magnifying it until I thought it was big enough. I traced around the projected image onto poster board, then cut that image out and again traced another one on a different sheet of poster board. Next I cut and taped two strips of poster board together to make the center of the pinata. I then measured a half inch on both sides of this piece, and took the scissors and slashed the edges every half inch all the way down both sides of this strip. Then the process was to cut a gazillion pieces of masking tape. (you place these around the edge of your work space, so it will be an easier go of it when you begin to tape items together) I maneuvered the cardboard strip all round the edges of the bird shapes, folding in the slashed edge of the strip. It also helped to score the edges,with a bone used for scrap booking, to make it easier to fold the cardboard. As I maneuvered the cardboard I taped the slashed edges on the inside, and the outside with the small pieces of masking tape. It was a real challenge to do the second peice, but I seemed to have managed. Next I cut strips of white art paper and slashed those on both sides, and glued it over the outside masking tape, to help hide the dark color of the tape, and to reinforce the edges.

  Now the fun started! I cut pieces of pink tissue paper and glued them all over the outside of the bird. I really did not like how it looked, so I cut the complete bird shape out of the tissue paper four times and glued two to each side. This gave it a more finished look, but the small pieces added strength, so it all worked. After this, I cut many strips of pink crepe paper, doubling the length for as many pieces that I needed. I estimated the length of each piece, saved a little bit of time, but not much, because after I cut the crepe paper, I then hand gathered each piece, by hand sewing running stitches along the length of each piece! Then I made two wings in the same manner. Made two cloth cover eyes, gathered some feathers, and a gift wrap thing that I purchased at, I believe, Target. I just love how it came out.

I taught myself how to make those roses that are so popular at the moment, only I used the crepe paper instead. The roses and a few feathers I glued to the top of the birds head.