Vintage Applique

Unbelievably small stitches on this vintage cloth hand towel. 

The rolls at the bottom of this picture are a collection of paper tapes by Martha Stewart called "Vintage Girl"

As usual, loving the gingham. :-)

Note Taking

Here is a little notebook for you to print out.

You can keep track of your plans for Thanksgiving.

I'm going to keep a grocery list, guest list,

and notes on equipment needed (dishes, chairs, etc.)

for our Thanksgiving get-together.

This little notebook is small enough to carry with me,

tucked into my wallet.

After you print it out,

 slice an opening along the center line between the center two blocks.

Fold to make a small booklet.

Please see my past post HERE to see pictures how.

***Sorry if you tried to print this picture and couldn't get it

--I had it as a PNG file and not a jpeg.

Hopefully changing it helps--let me know if you still have trouble.

Sunny Autumn

I finally put together a leaf collage from this years bounty. 

Over the weekend, a walk in a little nature preserve nearby was a delight.

Who doesn't love watching a sun-dappled creek. 

There are little creek trout in the upper center of this photo.

Years ago, when Meg was in second grade

 we kept a little creek trout all winter long in a plastic milk container.

When spring came we let it go in the creek we got it from.

I home-schooled Meg for a few years back then 

and have many fond memories of our time together. 

The pink along the creek is an old-fashioned kind of burning bush.

It has a very open, loose growing pattern

and smaller leaves than the style you see in many yards.

Little red berries hang from the stems in the fall.

Mouse Mansion

This is a gorgeous flyleaf from the Dutch book "Het Muizenhuis Sam & Julia" by Karina Schappman.

Please check out the posting about the book on Dutch Sisters HERE.

There are more pictures from the book there, including an adorable built-in bed.

The author's website is HERE with a bit more info.

I sure hope there is a plan to publish this book in English.

Wow!

This photo is from a pinterest board and I just love this mushroom house.

A gypsy caravan playhouse in one corner of the yard, and this in another.

I could so easily collect playhouses! :-)

Road Traveled

A milestone passes today.

One year ago I woke with Bell's Palsy.

It has been a long year.

The worst symptoms passed by April,

but I'm left with a bit of remaining stillness and/or twitchiness on the right side of my face.

This is minor, for which I am glad and also, I notice it more than others do.

At this point I can't imagine that my face will ever feel like it did on November 2nd, 2010 and for that I am sad.

But, it could have been so much worse

so I can deal with it

and thank goodness that I got my smile back which is what I wanted the most.

I was helped very much by those on the internet willing to share their experiences with the illness.

There is even a woman who video-taped herself each month trying to move her face in the mirror.

Unending thanks and love go out to my family and friends whose support I needed so badly.

And Now Featuring Autumn....Back Again For a Second Call

Weird weather recently.

We had another episode of thunder snow on Monday. 

I feel for those in the Eastern US though, with all the snow bringing down all those trees and wires.

Power outages stink! 

Cool old  fence wire that has become part of this tree

which was then downed by a storm some time ago. 

Does anyone know if a mushroom can start out in this star pattern

or does it take on this shape as it ages and cracks?

I wish I would end up star-shaped instead of just cracking and aging. :-)

Happy Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween!

A wee felt pumpkin brooch that I put together this month.

The eyes and nose were so small I resorted to needle-felting to attach them. 

Another brooch I put together for Em's "Professor McGonagall" costume.

I used cardboard, hot glue and foil with gems attached.

I used the technique that I used for last year's Christmas ornament project in Em's class.

Yikes!

We aren't getting accumulation here in Ohio but we just had a short spell of Thunder Snow.

Loving Fall

Punkies all in a row. 

Walking in the autumn leaves and enjoying the sun a couple of days ago. 

We have had light frosts already but it hasn't taken down our salvia yet.

I'm so glad because I love the bluey-purple spikes.

Blue-Striped Happiness

My daughter assures me that knitting socks is addictive.

Would my third pair in four months count? :-)

You're a Doll

OK, everyone march, march, march....

March over to Three Poodles and a Nana.

She has made an absolutely beautiful pillow using my drawing of Polly's Pumpkin.

That is all for today--so go have fun exploring Mickie's wonderful blog. :-)

Hugs to you Mickie! You're a doll!

Polly's Pumpkin

I drew this with great plans to stitch it up and make a mug rug but I haven't gotten to it.

I spent time today re-working some curtains in the bathroom.

I cut the full length panels into a cafe length and a strip gathered up at the top of the window.

This way we get our privacy but still get some natural light.

If one of you manages to stitch Polly and her Pumpkin up--I'd love to see it! :-)

Maypole Quilt

I apologize for the rather sad photo that I took of this quilt.

It was museum lit which means you basically can't see the quilt very well at all.

There was a postage stamp quilt near this one all in feedsack fabrics,

with lighting so awful that I didn't even try to capture a photo of it.

In this quilt I love the children dancing around the maypole

and the inward scallops around the edges.

Wee Crop

Tiny knitted pumpkins.

I started with a free pattern from Natural Suburbia.

I tweaked it to knit it flat and made one pumpkin larger by increasing the number of rows knit.

I made a taller one by eliminating an increase and decrease.

The little leaf is just a couple of stitches,

a couple of rows and knitting two together

before slipping the working thread though the last stitch.

Halloween Goodies

Make this pumpkin bag for a Halloween treat!

Just click HERE

and a PDF will be at hand with the pattern pieces.

Pea Pods

Yummy addition to our Chinese Chicken last night.

These snow peas have loved our weather recently.

Hey, just so you know--I will be out of town for awhile

so things will be quiet around the cottage.

The House That Mouse Built

I just found this wonderful book,

"The House That Mouse Built" by Maggie Rudy & Pam Abrams.

It is just so lovely and clever! 

This is a picture of the inside of the book cover.

Look at the hanging lamp over the table.

It is a pod with holes in it and electrified.

So many details to look at and admire. Love, love it!

Here is Maggie Rudy's website called Mouses Houses.

This is a little acorn lamp I made that is just dollhouse size.

I took one acorn cap and a slightly smaller-sized acorn turned upside down.

I glued them together to make the lamp.

Late September

A few things are still growing in the garden.

We enjoyed a small crop of snow peas and some green beans.

I love going out to the garden and seeing the cows next door

and the sunflowers dipping their heavy heads.

We've had some sun here in the afternoons.

Perfect for changing sheets, opening windows,

and reading a magazine on the porch.

The new "Mollie Makes" has a crop of peas & carrots to crochet. :-)

Goofed!

Yikes!

I put up the wrong linked PDF.

I'm sorry.....I've fixed it and so now you can download the whole booklet.

Click HERE or on the sidebar link.

Owl Postman

So HERE is the pattern for the Owl Postman.

I made it of wool felt, handstitched. 

If I haven't made the pattern clear enough, please let me know.

Again, in printing choose the "fit to printable area" option.

Notion--Autumn 2011

Here is my little idea.

I thought that I would put together a bunch of fun things to do this fall and make a booklet out of it.

You can download the PDF on the side bar or HERE.

When you print it out, choose the setting, "fit to printable area".

There will still be a small border of white which you'll need to trim off.

Then fold in half and cut down the center line to open up the top of the paper.

Fold the paper as seen in the photos.

I hope you enjoy!

By the way--the pattern for the owl will be uploaded soon.

Approaching Autumn

The start of fall decorating.

We had corn from the garden this year and here are the remnants decorating a front tree.

I have been busy thinking up ideas to keep me busy and inspired this fall.

Look for a small booklet of ideas to print out before the week ends.

I am really loving sedum this year.

The blue you see behind is an annual salvia (victoria blue)

that was just spectacular this summer.

Time Has Told

Look who's feeling better!

He is king of his castle once more. :-)

He is off medication, show's little interest in his tail and thankfully,

sleeps through the night.

The lovely afghan is Meg's.

Doll Auction

Meg and I went to a doll auction last week--only looking!

Here are a couple of pictures. 

Pinnochios, 

doll shoes,

and more accessories.

A few more pictures can be found here and here.

Hiding Behind a Little Face

A small pair of scissors in a felt case I made.

I know I keep going back to the matryoshka for a design,

but in this case it really did fit the size and shape that I needed.

(and I still love the little dolls) :-) 

A little slit in the back accomodates my embroidery scissors. :-)