Kokoro no Te = Heart & Hand

Spring has taken soooooo long to arrive this year ~ I had to take a break and create a cheerful project!

This was made from a pattern in the book "Kokoro no Te."

It is filled with Japanese inspired treasures to create.

They are all done by hand but are quite easy and relaxing to do.

This  vibrant flower center is a pin cushion that can be removed to hold a handful of buttons.

This needle book contains 5 felt pages to hold many,many special needles and your favorite glass head pins.

The little felt cherries that hang are mini pin cushions ~ sweet as can be!

Here is a little pillow I made for my Pastor's wife Carmela, to thank her for a special gesture.

First I created the square pillow ~

then centered it in the middle of one of Grama's doily's and hand stitched the two together.

        The doily creates a beautiful backing.

 The pussy willows on my table are getting green shoots and promising spring is truly here.
Please do hurry!

And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;

And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.
Percy Bysshe Shelley

April is a promise that May is bound to keep.
Hal Borland

Until then ~ let's eat Cupcakes!

Easy Cupcakes

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Add shortening, milk, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape side of bowl with a spatula.
Add eggs to the mixture. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape bowl again. Beat on high speed for 1 minute 30 seconds until well mixed.
Spoon cupcake batter into paper liners until 1/2 to 2/3 full.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes in pans then remove and place on wire racks to cool completely.
Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost with your favorite frosting recipe or decorate as you desire.

Recipe from the web site Cup Cake Recipes.com

Vintage Tea Napkin Becomes A Pouch

I wanted to share with you a project I worked on today.

A special lady is going through chemo and needed a pouch to hold her beloved Rosary Beads.

I started with a heavy linen vintage tea napkin.

Beautiful hand tatting already lined the edges.

 I stitched down the casing that holds the silk ribbon and added a glass flower and vintage pearl bead.

Because this sturdy linen fabric has stood the test of time ~ I was able to machine embroider the bible verse to the front.
Often these older fabrics will get beat up by the speed of an embroidery machine even with a generous amounts of stabilizer front and back.
I stitched the side and bottom closed and this pouch is ready for use.

For this project I used ~

Sulky Cut-Away Permanent Stabilizer
Robison-Anton embroidery thread
Kenmore Q Foot Blue needles

For beautiful tatting visit Wendy Shu ~ who was recently featured in Pat's  "Crazy Quilt Gatherings"
Here or Here

"..... I am the Lord that healeth thee."

Exodus 15-26

Red Work, Roosters and A Springtime Poem

Good Morning Friends!

I have been in my sewing studio all morning finishing up on a special order.

My customer loves roosters so I was able to fussy cut several from the fabric.

I Love this fabric ~ I have just about a half of yard left.

I got it years ago so I am sure it is out of production.

 This little Rooster tote will add an extra splash of "cuteness" to her  decor. 

One of my etsy customers wanted her bread bag personalized for her sister ~

I thought it was a great idea!

Since the bags are already constructed I can do initials only at the top of the bag for just $1.00 more.

                                                                                     Well back to fun work!

And Spring arose on the garden fair,

Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.


—Percy Bysshe Shelley

Angels

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware."

 Hebrews (13:2)

"Mother Teresa tells a story of walking past an open drain and catching a glimpse of something moving in it. She investigated and found a dying man whom she took back to a home where he could die in love and peace. 'I live like an animal in the streets,' the man told her. 'Now I will die like an angel'..."

- Mother Teresa of Calcutta ("Words to Live By")

 
"Let us be silent that we may hear the whisper of God."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

"As to prophecy and good fortune: angels can only speak of it - only humans can manifest it."

- Anonymous


"We are each of us angels with only one wing and we can only fly by embracing each other."

- Luciano de Crescenzo

" He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone."

~ Luke 4:10`11

                                                                                                                                                                         

This little angel is on her way to another angel in Florida....

This beautiful Rose if from an angel named Lisa.....found on my doorstep last week.....in celebration of her anniversary of being cancer free.

"All of God's Angels come to us disguised."

Oilcloth Shopping Organizer ~ Changed My Shopping Trips Forever!

I think this may very well be the most useful item I have ever made!

It's started with the whole economy thing ~ we've all been hit by it.

Well ~ I needed to start using coupons again.

I also needed a place for my reading glasses, shopping list, pen.

 It had to have a matching coupon holder,

 And Velcro straps to hold it securly to the shopping cart.

 It had to fold neatly to slip into my purse or back pocket.
It also had to be sturdy, cheerful and hold up to alot of wear and tear ~ oilcloth fit the bill!

Here's the one I made for myself and would not go to the store without !

Check out my Etsy Shop to have one of your very own in Pink or Yellow as shown here.

Would you prefer to try to make your own?


I made my pattern by first measuring the bar on the cart ~ then measuring how much space I would need for each item.


Oil cloth can be tricky to work with but the results are well worth it.


Let me give you some tips on sewing with oilcloth ......


You need a special foot since the oilcloth sticks with a normal foot as you sew.


For my Janome 10000 ~ I use a Ultra Glide Foot. It is plastic and cost was about $25.00.


I use a size 12 needle. My favorite brands are Organ, Schmetz or Kenmore.


Ironing is tricky if not impossible. I have done it with a cool iron and a pressing sheet but always finger press when possible.


When I will be sewing with oilcloth for the day ~ I will leave my stack of material near a sunny window.


The heat from the sun flattens it just enough. Also put it under a stack of heavy books if time allows.

                                                             This is the best sight in the world for Oilcloth Tips ~ Oil Cloth Addict

  Here is where I like to purchase oilcloth ~ Mendels      

"If you seek and angel with an open heart you shall always find one."

                                                                                                                     

Make Your Own Tea Stained Rose

Hi Friend's!

I wanted to share with you the Victorian Bags I have been working on.
I have them listed in my Etsy site.
Tea stained muslin was my first love back in the 90's.
Remember when tea stained dolls were all the rage?
I sold them at a local shop and spent hours dying muslin with tea and coffee so it has been a blast working with it again!

To make the muslin Rose like the one on the Fond Remembrance bag shown below  ~
you will need a muslin strip about 12" by 1 1/2 ".
Start by folding the strip in 3rds long ways so it is 12" by 1/2 ".
Roll about 10 times tightly  ~ this is your center.
Then roll and twist ~ roll and twist, letting the fabric loosen as you go,
you will begin to see the rose form.

Once the rose is finished ~
I use nymo thread and a heavy needle and from the back,
I run the thread through the layers from one end to another until it is secure.

For added embellishment use scraps of lace, vintage leaves from old hats, sequins for the center.

Does that all seem a bit too confusing?
Just rip a strip of muslin this size and begin to play.
Don't use scissors ~  for that time worn look.
You will likely create your own special flower that is all your design!

 Or just come by my Etsy shop and order one!

" I have now taken of the kernel of your life and planted it in mine.'

~ Margaret Fuller 1845

A Shell Picture Frame Giveaway & Book Reviews

update update update update update update update update update

My daughter Jaci just picked the name out of my shower cap ~
hey it's what I had handy!

The winner of the swap is the One & Only
FREDA from Sew Whats New !!!
YIPEEE ~ Freda!

Here is the Sweet Shell Picture Frame I will be giving away.

Just leave a comment at the end of this post ~

you have until June 30th when I will pick the lucky winner!
If you are my follower ~ 2 chances for you!
(you'll have to use the follow button at the top left page of my blog ~ I dont have the fancy button)

Of course it will look like this when you get it ~

I just can't part with the cute photo of my son and daughter when they were little.

It measures 11" x 91/2" and has little pockets filled with lavender,sea glass &  pearl buttons.

I whipped this up yesterday and got the idea from page 73 of Ruth Rae's book

"Layered, Tattered & Stitched"

(see the review below)

But don't think "Oh how Nice of Terri to spend an entire afternoon on a labor of love and give it away."

Oh no ~ the real reason is ~

I Want More Chances To Win Pat Winter's Giveaway!!!!!

Go see for yourself ~  if you post a giveaway that gives you 4 chances to win.

My pal Laurie is having a Give Away too ~ something she will make especially for YOU!

Go Here to her blog Blue Waters.

Book Reviews

Layered, Tattered & Stitched
by Ruth Rae

I am enjoying this book so much!

It is has clear step by step instructions with lots of great pictures.

Ruth has lessons on tearing, stitching, burning and dying!

She will leave you feeling confidant that you can do any of these projects yourself.

I really enjoyed the Tools and Supplies section in the front.

It always fun to see what other artists are using ~ what brand needles, scissors etc.

My Janome 10000 will forgive her for preferring Bernina Aurora 440 QE.

In the back she offers patterns and 2 pages of beautiful clip art with words and phrases you can copy for your projects.

Visit Ruth Rae's blog " Let The Beauty We Love Be What We Do" for more inspiration!

The Psalms of David

with illuminations by James S. Freemantle

I recently discovered this book on another blogger post and had to order my own copy.

What a story this is.

James Freemantle was born in 1859. In 1906 he married his beloved wife Clara.

About this time ~ he began this illumination of the Psalms.

He was not a religious man but poured all he had into his drawings.

Because the Psalms were such beautiful poems of Love ~ he saw this as a testament to his love of Clara.

He would often spend hours on just a few lines and strokes, sitting by the light of his window.

The book has brilliantly colored flowers, animals, butterflies and cottages.

He died in 1934 ~ the year he finished the book. 

Many years later his son published the book.

This may well be the most beautiful book I have ever layed my eyes on.

"The Lord is good,

His Mercy is for ever sure,

His truth at all times firmly stood,

And shall from age to age endure."

I have added  'The Psalms of David" and "Layered,Tattered & Stitched"

to my Amazon link at the top of my blog.

I was able to purchase them at an excellent price via Amazon.