Zippered pouch

It's another lovely day out there today, although too warm for me to red on the deck like yesterday.
I've been washing clothes, ironing and packing as we're going away for a long weekend to my family's cottage on PEI.
I've finally got my painted coffee table back in my living room after a few paint issues. I had to return the first one as it wasn't mixing and drying properly. They replaced it with a much better quality paint but it still took a bit of sanding and a few coats to get it right.

I'm very happy with the cheery color but it is so bright that it almost makes my sofa look dingy! Hmm, one thing always leads to another.
I took the time to put my zippered pouch together and add the finishing topstitch and tab.

I think it's quite pretty! It makes me want to make more.

Not taking the time to work out the math beforehand, I'm never quite sure how the size will finish up.
Don't forget, I'll be away until midweek next week. Have a great weekend!

A feather on my zippered pouch

Finally, the sun has come out and the air is less humid. I'm currently sitting on the swing on my deck listening to my fountain and the background song of the birds. It's lovely to be able to be outside!
I went for my lap swim this morning and when I sat down to do a little free motion stitching, I found that my arms were tired! I managed a couple of feathers on the piece for the back of the pouch I'm making.

I then cut the two lining pieces and got one side of the zipper sewn in. That was a good place to stop, head outside to write this, and then read for a while.

I thought I'd show you another page from my sketchbook, a little blind contour drawing, one of the techniques shown in the course I'm taking.

I really like the loose gestural quality of it. It would look fun on fabric.

A bracelet, organza flowers and seaweed

What a combination of things I've been up to! I just can't seem to contain my creativity this summer. I'm charging off in all sorts of directions.
While reading my email and a few blogs early this morning, I came across this tutorial for these organza flowers. I found they were so simple and pretty that I was searching for my organzas and tulle even before my breakfast. I ate and then tried out a couple. They'll be fun adornments for gifts.

They only take a few minutes to make. I'm going to have to watch second hand stores for something I can use. My colors are limited.

Then, of course, while I had the bead box out, I was reminded of a colorful bracelet that I had intended to make, so I found the memory wire and strung some beads.

I've been trying to spend a little time with paint brush each day this summer too, so I sat listening to the rain, adding a few more touches to my seaweed renditions. I wasn't sure about them at first but I think they've improved as I've added layers.

I did a wee bit of stitching with the beads on the flowers so I'm considering it OK to connect to the Needle and Thread Network.

mixed media, doodling, stitching

Each day I've been doing a page or two inspired by the lessons in the on line course I'm taking form Alicia Burke. Today, it was 'light on dark'. I played with a village scene and a bit of doodling. The background is acrylic paint applied to a sketchbook page and the white is done with a Sharpie Paint Pen.

I did a black background to play with too and while I was casting about on the net for some doodling ideas, I found a nice little U tube video on how to make mandalas. What I really like about this is it's simplicity. No rulers or protractors needed. I've tried two small ones and definitely will be trying this again.

Then after my lunch, I pulled out a Gelli printed fabric piece that I thought would make a fun little zippered pouch. I backed it with stiff interfacing and batting and did some free motion stitching-- nothing too detailed as it is meant to be used.

Here's a closer look.

I've stopped to get my mid afternoon snack and write this and I hoped to get out for a walk as the rain had stopped around noon. I've just heard a noise and turned to look out my window and it's pouring!
I'll cut up some fruit and see if it stops while I'm munching.

Finally finished pillow

It's a rainy day today which I don't really mind as the gardens need it. As long as I can get my errands and groceries done without getting too wet.
Yesterday, I finally quilted my pillow top, straight lines only, and sewed it up into a cover. I ended up having to use a slip stitch closure as opposed to a Velcro one. The only fabric I could find was in my box of recycled linens that I pick up at the second hand stores. I managed to find a piece of mossy green linen from a skirt just big enough to fit the back.

It makes me very happy when I walk into the room!
I haven't quite finished my bright green coffee table yet. I had an issue with some defective paint which the store replaced for me and I think I just need one final coat on the top now.
I've been wanting to pass on my summer reading as well. I just finished a book last week that totally absorbed me called The Kitchen House. The story centres around the female slaves on a pre Americain civil war plantation and a seven year old orphan brought home by a sea captain. It is well written, every word holding my attention and I hated it to end.
The next book that I started and am 3/4 of the way through, equally as compelling, is Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver. I have read all of her books and was looking forward to this latest one. The story is captivating and her prose is beautiful. Sometimes, I have to retread a sentence because it evokes such beauty. It is the story of a butterfly migration and the possible effects of global warming on it, but the characters and family life that is woven into it is so real, at times sad, funny and just plain joyful. One recognizes ones own personal moments in her descriptions.

These are both the kind of books that I find and read in between all the other stuff. The kind that make me want to stay up and keep reading but at the same time slow down and savour. The kind that I live inside and reluctantly let go of the characters.

Tea and cookies and my pillow top

I've just sat down for a cup of tea and decided to write a little earlier than usual. I just finished making these cookies that I came across on Facebook a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to try one and of course needed a cup of tea to go with. There is no sugar or sweetener in them other than banana and applesauce, and no flour, just the oatmeal.

They are soft and chewy and remind me of the unbaked 'frogs' I used to make but are much healthier. I think coconut would be a good addition though.
Yesterday, I added the last borders onto my pillow top. I've cut the batting and a thin backing and hope to start machine quilting it this afternoon.

I really love using this improvised method demonstrated here by Melody Johnson.
I learned a few things and I'm glad I started with something small.

1. It's good to start with a quick sketch to get an idea of where you're going. (I didn't)
2. It's a good idea to limit the number of color choices. (I did try to do that.)
3. Make sure you have enough fabric to carry all the way through the blocks and the finish so there is some cohesiveness. (I also tried to do this.)

This morning I took a little time to throw some paint at my sketchbook! I was a bit behind in the daily prompts from the Summer Sketch on line course I'm doing with Alicia Burke.
I started per the instructions with a couple of pages of paint splats.

I left it to dry and then I started examining it for shapes just like we sometimes do with clouds. Eventually, I found a tulip in one and woods and water in the second one. Kind of fun! At least I didn't see anything sinister like one might in the Rorschach ink splats!
Hard to go wrong with such pretty colors!

Now, I'm finishing up my tea and heading to the sewing machine for some free motion quilting.

still doing the wonky thing!

It's so lovely that the awful heat and humidity has moved out finally. Gord and I sat on the deck last evening watching and listening to the birds. I've seen the goldfinches drinking  from this tea cup garden stake that my husband put together for me, but we caught a sparrow hopping in for a bath. Isn't that cute?!

The hummingbirds were flitting back and forth to my window feeder every few minutes. Who needs TV with all this activity?

Since it's finally cooled off a bit and is cloudy today,  this morning I went out to do a bit of gardening. It's been too hot to do anything out there for a while, so it was good to get a bit of trimming done.
After a quick veggie pate and tomato sandwich for lunch, I did a quick watercolor birthday card for my father in law.

I was anxious to get back to the wonky pieced pillow top! Last night during the news, I ripped the 4 blocks apart, and today I reworked them with different colored strips. I think it's now working, so I went ahead and put 2 sides of the final strips onto the right and bottom. I need to make more to finish it.

I know you may be thinking, all this for a pillow? Sheesh, you're probably right but it's about learning the process and it's fun! And it still needs to be quilted and made into the cushion! Aren't we crazy sometimes?
I'm linking to the Needle and Thread Network. It's their 100th post!