I have been sewing some new things

Hello and Happy Sunday!

As my title says I have been sewing some new things, American Girl doll clothes.  A friend at work went to the American Girl store downtown Chicago and purchased a doll for her granddaughter and was telling me about the dresses etc.  I said I could make some dresses and so it began -- this was the first one I made and I have been sewing dresses for the past few days.  And yes I do have a Samantha doll, but she was in her original outfit, til last week and now she is a model!! 

I have several more cut out and more in the works, I even opened up an Etsy account just for the doll dresses, Doll Clothes by Dot is the name of it - if  you want to check it out.

Other than sewing dresses - we are in the middle of a huge cleaning and sprucing up around our house.  We are hosting Thanksgiving for Dear Hubbys family,  I was off on Friday and got a ton done and today I painted the first floor bathroom a real nice blue and am just finishing up the decorating of that -- the living room is clean and the kitchen and dining room - shall we say are in the works!! LOL - Dear Hubby touched up the  paint in those rooms and recaulked the counter where it meets the wall,  and  on Friday I took down all my roosters and chickens on top of the cabinets and cleaned them and replaced them on the top -- it is all coming to together.

Off to work on the Chili for dinner.  Thanks for stopping by -- hope your weekend is great!
Happy Stitches!
Dorothy  

It's Snowing!

Hello!

What a nice day in Northern Illinois today -- it started out nice -- then we got some rain and FINALLY the SNOW started!!  Maybe an inch or so -- but it will be gone the next few days --  but nice to see a nice white blanket on everything.

With it getting colder, I am getting more done.  This was  New Years Eve Mystery quilt I think from 2007 or 2009 -- finally got the binding over the weekend.  Not sure what I am doing eith it -- just glad another UFO is done.

This Saturday  my sister in law who is big into cards and scrapbooking had a card party for the girls in the family and we made 7 cards, here is what we did .  Such great ideas.  It was great fun to be with the girls in the family all day - we had a soup lunch and a creative afternoon.  What a great way to spend the day -- and especially right before the hectic holiday season starts.
   

  More cards we made

 The snowman one I think was my favorite.

 I also finished my red and white scarf I started last January.  It is super long and super wide, great to wrap around you and stay warm.  This will go perfectly with my red vest I wear in the winter.

My second quilty finish for the weekend was a Schnibbles from last year.  I used Amelia Fabric in it.  Just love the brightness -- great for spring -- Did I mention it just snowed today! LOL

So what have you been up to?

Happy Stitches
Dorothy

Happy Halloween!

Good Morning

Poochie and I just want to witch you a Spooktacular day!  Happy Halloween!

Happy Stitches!

Dorothy and Poochie!

A nice fall day!

Hello!

We had a nice fall day here in IL -- chilly and cloudy -- ok so the weather wasn't the nicest, but the day was still nice :)

Dear Hubby and I went golfing, perfect weather the course was not busy so I was able to just keep hitting the ball till I got it to the grenn!  I have been doing some sewing, made some scarecrows.

 

Had some fun photographing them today.  Keeping one and will be putting some on Etsy. 

Here is the tree in our front yard, it is just brillant this time of year.

And of course here is our girl -- Poochie looks great with the fall colored leaves in the photo with her.

Hope your weekend was great!  What have you been working on?
Happy Stitches
Dorothy

It has been too long!

Hello!

WOW can't believe it has been over a month since I posted last, lots going on, Flea Markets, Craft shows and car troubles.   And really good news, heading off to craft camp tomorrow for the weekend!  Am all packed just waiting for the launder to be done.


Speaking of done.....

Here is another UFO I just completed, I got it back about a month ago from the long armer, so glad to have it done.  It was a Mystery quilt a few years ago on New Years Eve.

Well of to finish the laundry.

Thanks for stopping by!

Dorothy

A little tour of my garden

Hello

Well as summer is coming to an end I thought I would share some photos of my creekside garden, please ignore any weeds:)

This is a little blue watering can with some impatiens, it really is a cute addition to a darker corner of the garden.  

I got these work boots for free at a garage sale about 5 years ago and I put impatiens in these and this year they just have been non stop bloomers.
 

I love this old wheelbarrow I got from a garage sale for $5 -- I put a few holes in the bottom and instant garden!   I fill it with impatiens and there are some coleus in there this year too.   I just love looking down from the kitchen and seeing this in full bloom!

Remember I showed you this ladder I created early in the season, well here it is towards the end of the season and the impatiens are doing great -- they love this shady spot.

Well that concludes my little tour for you today -- I hope you enjoyed it.
Happy Stitches
Dorothy

Catching up

Good Morning!

How have you been doing?  We have been so busy and the time is flying by, soon it will be fall and we will wonder where summer has gone.

My daisys have been blooming so much this summer, I found this camp coffee pot at a garage sale and the inside is noting I would make coffee in, so it makes a great flower holder at the front door.
Amazing what you can do with something that only costs 50 cents, that was all the little coffee pot costs, I already drilled a hole in the bottom, so next year I am planting in it.   You ask how the water stays in to keep the daisys looking good, a water bottle works great!
 

Dear Hubby celebrated anoher birthday a week ago and he loves Spiderman so I decorated this cake for hi with some Spiderman items we had on hand.  I did not make a cake, Dear Hubby sister was not feeling well so he thought he might have to go and spend the night at her house that night, so I did the next best thing, I bought a yummy cake: )

Been working on lots of projects for the flea market / craft show I will be participating in next month.  Dear Hubby got this doll high chair at a garage sale for $1 -- the legs were wobbly -- I took the legs off and put them back on further apart and no more wobble.

Painted it pink and made cushions for it and I think it will sell at the show.  This would be a great gift for a little girl.  I am also working on some doll beds.   Such fun working on something a little different then my usual quilting projects.

Don't worry I am still sewing!   I finished 7 table runners this week and this UFO - It is from the Thimbleberrie line Sangria Splash -- I think that was in 2007  -- well in 2013 it is completed!  Just finished the binding last night.  I have one more back from my long arm friend that needs to be bound, I will start on that tonight.  I am really making a dent in my UFO's this year, it sure does feel good. And I was thinking as I was binding last night, I have started less than I normally do in the year -- and that is because my UFO's are keeping me busy.  I think if I work this hard at my UFO's next year - I will have a better handle on them and it would be so  nice to empty most of my shelfs of UFO's and use that cabinet for something else, like maybe the fabric that is accumulating on the floor!! LOL 
 

I hope your summer is going well -- enjoy it will be winter before we know it!
Happy Stitches!
Dorothy

August already!?!?

Hello!

So what have you been up to?   I can't believe it is August already?  Where is the summer going. I thought since I now work for a commercial landscaper it would not be so busy in the summer -- BOY was I WRONG!  It has been super busy.  But I have had some time to do so canning, sewing and shopping -- so let me show  you what I have been up to.....

I made some Cherry jam -- mmmm it is good :)    

Just yesterday I made Blueberry jam -- need to label the jars

And I also made corn relish -- this is so good with chips -- and a great treat in the winter when fresh corn is no wheres to be had.

Then I had an order for a flannel baby quilt -- this one was picked up on Saturday -- so sweet and so soft  - This one was so sweet.

 The quilt above is for my niece, she just has a baby last month.  I just mailed it this week, hope she like it -- she did not want the traditional pink for a girl, this was hard to make as I just love pink.

And then I had some orders for my planter chairs, here is one I  completed and delivered last month.

And in between canning, painting, and quilting, I found time to work and putter around the yard too!

Today we went to a huge flea market about an hour from us and Dear Hubby just fell in love with this sleeping hippo -- don't you love his smile -- so he came home with us and is sleeping next to the fountain int he front yard.

And this is who took us to the flea market today - Yes Poochie went to and enjoyed every minute of the adventure!



Happy Stitches!
Dorothy

It's July!

Hello!

Did you have a great 4th of July weekend?   We  did we got lucky, Dear Hubby ended up with Friday off, so off we went for a camping trip -- it was so relaxing and so nice to get away -- 

here is the view I had each morning -- so peaceful

  And then this was what I saw next!!  Dear Hubby loves to make breakfast at the campsite, so this was ther French Toast morning with bacon.......mmmmm good!  And I don't know what Poochie loved most being by the water or the yummy food, when she is on vacation, she eats very little dog food!!! 

 And above is the fish I caught -- not really big but it sure was fun Realin it in!! LOL

Saturday we went to a park with numerous gardens to stroll through -- this is a butterfly garden, just loved it and I sure did like the birdbath made of stone.

 

 They even had a birdhouse made of stone -- this place was huge -- but these pictures were 2 of my favorites.

 

Then of course before we left  on Tuesday when I was heading home from work there it was GARAGE SALE -- I thought odd for a Tuesday but I stopped and checked it out -- I found these 4 cutter quilts for $5 dollars each -- so I have lots of projects in mind and I can not wait to get started on them this week.  I thought I might even frame some of the nicer blocks.  All 4 of these quilts were hand quilted.  So I need to do something special with them. 

 

 And the last thing I have to show you today is our Tie-Dye t-shirts  -- it was a project at the campsite -- mine is the brighter one and Dear Hubby made one too, his is the darker one.  It was fun and something I know Dear Hubby would not have done on his own.

I hope you had a great weekend and now back to the real world -- I better get stitching!

Happy Stitches!
Dorothy

Schnibbles Parade and Catch up!

Hello! 

Time is flying by so fast this summer - I have hardly had a chance to sit down.  Today Dear Hubby is working -- first time in 25 years he has worked on a Sunday -- but they need to complete the job by July 4th -- So I have had a very productive day and just got a call he won't be home til late -- so I see a productive evening in my future too!

Just a few cute photos -- this is a little chipmunk that got caught in the bird feeder!  He was very happy to be released!
 

I did my Dulcinea complete -- well it still needs to be quilted.....mmmm might have a chance to to that tonight!  I used the Glamping line of fabric -- just love it!!  It screams WE NEED A GLAMPER!!  Trying to get hubby on board -- I think I am almost there :)

   

My friend Kendra from Stone House Primitives, is stamping silverware and I was lucky enough to get a set of forks!! LOVE THEM!  Here is one in my planter on the front porch - it says Smile!!  Too Cute!

Here is the set -- I know hard to see, they say, Smile, Flowers and Grin -- they are all  nicely placed in my flower pots on the front porch!  Can't help but smile when you see them!  Thanks Kendra!

Is anyone working on Pam Budas - Sew Along -- Well step one was 164 half square triangles -- I am done with step one!  And the clue was just given on Friday and we had til the 12th of July to complete step one!  Finally ahead of the project :) I will put a link on the side bar so you can hop over to Pams blog it you want to participate, a clue will be given each Friday -- sounds easy enough - I think 12 clues and you will have a small quilt  -- sounds like fun -- I am using Kansas Troubles trying to use up what I have  -- i have way too much!! 

And one final project here -- a lady bug tabletopper -- had the blocks for years -- so I just whipped this up  last night.  Might get that quilted tonight too.

Well thank you for stopping by -- I have more to show you but you will have to wait til I post again on Tuesday I found a fabulous road side treasure and I was busy in the kitchen --

Enjoy the Parade and see you soon!

Happy Stitches!
Dorothy