Sketchbook a la Polka Dot

It is very important to me to always have a sketchbook and pencil within easy reach at all times. Ideas come and go, and if not written down, they are usually forgotten.


A place to store my pencil is a necessity.


Can't wait to sit out on the patio with a cool margarita by my side. I dream of long, relaxing weekends of doing nothing but filling my sketch book with summer inspiration.


I'm convinced that sketching will be much more fun with a pretty posie pencil in hand.


Have a great day.

Aloha!

I'm Still Here...

Will someone please tell me how a day can pass so quickly. I meant to post yesterday, really I did. Time just got away from me as it often does. I spent all day yesterday romping around in my fabric stash. I'm currently matching up sets of eight coordinating fabrics for my patchwork handbags. Coordinating fabric takes up so much of my time and should keep me very busy for several weeks, at least.


Not much to show you except for these two flower pins that I made yesterday. You probably already know how much I adore making fabric flowers. The petals are the same as the ones used in my Handy Dandy Pincushion tutorial. I love the versatility of fabric flowers. You can make them into simple pins like I did or use them as an embellishment to other fabric items.






I've recently been given a blog award by my lovely friend Joyce of Crafter Thoughts. She has a wonderful blog that I know you will enjoy. Joyce, I am honored that you have chosen me. Thank you so much. I too, shall pass it on to three other very deserving bloggers.

Sandra Sews Sandra is a very talented gal who makes some really beautiful quilts and many other quilted items such as handbags, coasters, aprons, and much more. I love her work and the fact that she sews items for various charities makes me admire her even more.

Quilt Obsession Cathi is also a very talented quilter. She makes many beautiful quilts and quilt related items as well. She's recently made some wonderful needle cases which I know you will all love. She also has a couple of really beautiful and precious kitties named Smudge and Lester (whom I adore).

Quilting Daze Darlene is another blogger with wonderful quilting talent. She makes beautiful quilts. Check out her most recent quilt top, totally magnificent and inspirational. She has some lovely stitcheries and many other quilt related projects on her site too. Truly fabulous!

Gals, I am very aware of how precious time is and how busy you all are. If you are unable to pass these awards on to others because of time constraints, no problem. Just enjoy the blog awards and know how very special, inspirational, and talented you all are.

Have a nice day, everyone.

Aloha!

More Flowers and Polka Dots

Although I prefer brights, I couldn't resist making a pillow in pretty pastel shades of pink, yellow, and lavender. (The lavender looks very harsh and not as soft in this photo as it looks in person). Wouldn't this be a sweet addition to a nursery or a little girl's bedroom? If you've managed to read into my blog a bit, you would know just how much I adore polka dots and flowers. This pillow is shaped like a gift box, complete with boxed corners and a polka dot ribbon and bow. Of course, my bow just so happens to be a flower, just because I love them so.


When I'm running back and forth from my work area to my sewing machine, I prefer using a wrist pincushion. This alleviates the need to bring my regular pincushion back and forth with me. This little pincushion is made the same way as the Handy Dandy Pincushion, only it has a larger center and has a fabric scrunchie wrist band attached to it's base.


Isn't this the cutest print? I love the variegated shades of blue and the neon green daisies.


And last but not least, Rowena, my friend, this ones for you. I know that you're always on the look-out for the unusual. Peeps, as I read through her post about the Lattice Stinkhorn mushroom, I sat there thinking, if only my cactus were in bloom I could show it to Rowena because she would find it interesting that it's odor rivals that of the Stinkhorn mushroom (she loves gardening and the unusual). Well, today is the day that I can finally show you this lovely, albeit stinky, 10-inch bloom.


Click here for a description of the Carrion flower (Stapelia gigantea). My mother purchased this plant for herself, but soon after, gave it to my son who had shown some interest in it's extra large blooms. Actually, I think she gave it to him because it was so putrid smelling she didn't want it at her house! Flies love this flower and it's often described as sharing the same odor of rotting flesh. Luckily, the blooms die off within a day or two or I would have tossed it out years ago.

If you haven't had the chance to visit Rubber Slippers In Italy, by all means you really need to. Rowena has such an enjoyable writing style and takes you through her day to day life in Italy. If you love Italy and the unusual, her blog is what you should be reading.

See you tomorrow.

Aloha!

Tutorial--A Handy Dandy Pincushion

**This tutorial is intended for personal use only.**


When your hubby is wrapped up in an action flick or really busy on the telephone with a client, quietly walk up to his golf bag, slowly unzip the little pocket on the side of the bag, slide your sticky little fingers into the pocket and steal, err, uhm, borrow a golf tee. Quickly zip the pocket back up and stroll nonchalantly back to your craft room (no whistling as you walk away for this is a dead giveaway that you were up to no good). You are now ready to create this cute and handy pincushion.


For this project, you will need fabric, felt, pincushion stuffing, golf tee, cardboard, disappearing ink pen, scissor, needle and thread, hot glue gun, sewing machine (optional).

I have chosen a polka dot fabric (what else!) for the petals and a solid red for the flower center.


Cut two 2-1/2-inch circles from cardboard. Cut one circle in half. These will be your patterns. The half circle will be for the petals and the whole circle will be the flower center.

Trace the petal pattern five times onto the wrong side of two layers of fabric. Trace the flower center pattern once onto the wrong side of a single layer of fabric.


Cut the circle out on the traced line; set aside.


For petals, with right sides together, secure both layers of fabric with pins.


Sew by hand or by machine around the curved edge of the five half circles, using the traced line as your seam line. Leave straight edge open for turning.


Trim around curve, turn right side out.


With needle and thread, take a running stitch along the straight edge of each petal.


Slide each half circle onto the thread, one after the other.


After all five half circles are on the thread, clip thread to release needle.


Tie both ends of the thread together to form a circle of petals. Clip thread close to knot. Set piece aside.


For flower center, take a running stitch around the edge of the circle, stuff with your favorite pincushion stuffing, pull tight and secure with a knot. Clip ends of thread close to knot.


Cut a 1-1/4-inch circle out of felt. Notch out center creating a small hole.


Gather the four components together. You are now ready to assemble.


Using a hot glue gun, place glue under the flat portion of the golf tee. Carefully slip the pointed end of the golf tee through the hole in the center of the petals. Hold for a few seconds until glue has set.


Glue the flower center securely to the top of the petals, covering the head of the golf tee.


Turn flower over, put the pointed end of the golf tee through the hole in the felt circle. Glue the felt circle securely to the base of the flower. This will hide the mechanics and will give your pincushion a more polished look.


Pop your new pincushion into a spool of thread, add a couple of needles, and you're ready to start sewing. This is a handy portable piece to carry with you while hand stitching and can be easily changed from spool to spool whenever necessary. No more lost sewing needs in the arms of your sofa again.


I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial. I know many of you have seen this before, but I wanted to share it because I know that there are some who haven't. I find this pincushion indispensable when I'm working in front of the television. It also makes a good travelling pincushion for take-along projects.

Have a fabulous weekend. See you all on Monday.

Aloha!

**This tutorial is intended for personal use only.**

Pick A Pint Of Pickled People

Say that 10 times fast! Okay, you are probably thinking to yourself that the polka dots have finally wedged themselves deep into her brain and has caused her to do some really strange things. She made what??? Pickled People???


I cannot make these doll heads without making a jar of Pickled People at the same time. Growing up, my parents enjoyed a condiment called Pickled Onions with their dinner meal. I think it's a Portuguese thing. Maybe a Portuguese/Hawaii thing. I don't know. Anyway, you couldn't open the refrigerator without seeing a bottle tucked in there somewhere. These doll heads remind me of little onions and bring back memories of the pickled onions of my childhood.



Every canning jar needs a pretty polka-dotted topper.



This is where those doll heads really belong. I call this doll Anela Pupule. Anela [aa NEH la] in Hawaiian means angel. Pupule [poo poo' leh] means crazy, as in off the deep end kind of crazy. If I may say so, this doll looks even more unbalanced dressed in polka dots and glitter than in her usual Hawaiian frock!



Close-up of her silly face.

Mahalo Nui Loa(thank you very much)for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!

Aloha!

P.S. I just received an email from Joyce who has a blog called Crafter Thoughts. She also happens to be the winner of my recent giveaway. Please check out her blog to see her winnings, but most importantly, to check out her lovely, newly organized, and painted craft room. While you're there, don't forget to take a look at the pretty angels that she makes from Christmas ornaments. Too cute and very creative! She's a really sweet gal so don't walk, run on over and say hi!

My New Fabric Stash

I am the happiest when I am surrounded by fabric. In this case, hundreds and hundreds of pieces of 100% cotton quilting fabrics. Several people are asking to see it, so here it is. Yes, there are even a few polka dot fabrics in there too.

What you see is just a portion of my newly acquired stash. I am happy, happy happy!

I'm in the process of clearing space in my craft room for these lovelies. It is already bursting at the seams but I will fit it in there somehow.

I haven't had the opportunity to do any crafting today but I promise that I'll be back tomorrow with another craft project. See you then.

Aloha!

Yes, More Polka Dots!

I decided to spruce up my pencil cup. I have to look at this every time I sit at my computer and frankly it's just plain ugly.

Here is my pencil cup in all it's polka-dotted glory.

I'll be heading to the craft room to straighten up a bit and to make some room for an overwhelming amount of fabric that I just purchased. I'm not complaining. Fabric makes me happy!

Have a nice day, y'all.

Aloha!