Friday, June 29, 2012

~*Friday Finishes*~

 Hello Dear Friends and Happy Friday to you!  There is a little something different to share with you this week... and I'm so proud to have it finished.  (There weren't any finishes sent in to share from others.)  You may remember the recent gift I received from my dear husband ~ my weaving loom.  Well, I'm happy to report that my first project using it is finished!

I knew I wanted to make rugs on my loom... and that is just what I have done!  Really though, there wasn't a whole lot of planning that went into this project.  You see, I found some bargain carpet warp on Ebay.  It was bargain price... and for a reason!  It was old, faded (from sitting in a sunny window I presume), and not really that pretty... but none~the~less, I intended to use it.  While threading the loom, I thought of using cotton fabric that I've collected over the years.  Fabric that hasn't been used simply because 'I liked it when I bought it, but it doesn't fit my projects'.  Turns out, I didn't use the cotton fabric after all.  Instead, the cutter quilts that were dug out of storage for my furniture re~dux projects looked better!  So, I cut a couple large scraps of cutter quilt into about 4" strips... and then again in half giving me a bushel basket full of quilt strips (about 2" wide).  When weaving them in, I folded them in half... giving a great structure & fullness to the rug.


Finished to 30 by 58 inches.

My last weaving class was long ago. (That was way back in high school!)  I have been reading all I can and watching YouTube videos.  I was stressed working my selvages... and worried about 'smile' on my rug... but I think all~in~all... I did alright for my first go around!  *smile*
 I thought about turning the header trims under, but went with ordinary fringe on the ends instead.  The yarn on the headers is from a cone the sweet gal gave me when we bought the loom.  (Thank you Sherre!)
Now I need to find a place to put the rug... that wasn't planned either.  And... I need to work up an idea... and PLANS this time... for my next one!

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My furniture pieces are still sitting in the garage.  I'm not sure I'll get to work on them today... tomorrow night is the update for Early Work Mercantile... and my needles need to get a'flyin'.

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

Thursday, June 28, 2012

~*Re~Do a Re~Dux...*~

That is what I'm going to do!

Hi Friends!  I'm not happy AT ALL with the white chairs.  They are stained and distressed too much... and the round discs that were cut for the seats are about 1/4 inch too small.  So, I'm going to slap another coat of white paint on them, skip the stain, and only sand a little bit (if they are sanded at all).  I'm not sure what will be done with the discs.  If they can still be used, they will be... because our staple gun is just too hard to use! Maybe some rope trim will work?

I promised to show you the chairs today.  They just did not turn out to my pleasing... and I really wasn't sure they should be shown because I dislike them so much.  But... I said I would.

As for the one stool that is finished... well, it is 'ok', but I'm not thrilled with it either.  The round white circle in the center of the quilt piece needs 'something'.  Don't you think?  I thought about appliqueing on a wool heart or other image... or trimming the circle with vintage buttons.  Do you have any ideas?  Here is a closer look...

Hum... maybe the legs on the stool should be repainted & less distressed too?

Guess it is back to the drawing board for these pieces.  Or heck, maybe I'll take a break from them today and work with my needles!

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

~*Some Of What I've Been Doing*~

Hello Dear Friends! This is some of what I've been doing...
I seem to have the 're~dux' fever!

Above are some chairs & stools I've had for a long time (Found & stored with the hopes of one day making them cute!

One is finished... sort of...
Thanks to Pinterest inspiration... it has a new fabric~woven seat!  Pretty cool!  However, Tony needed to make a little wood repair for me... and we discovered after I wove the seat that it needs a bit more repair.  No problem though... he will fix it & it will be equally sturdy as it now is pretty!

(Funny!  I didn't notice until I posted this picture of the seat that there was a weaving error.  It is fixed now!  *wink*)
The green chairs are now white & waiting to be distressed in the garage.  The stools are also white.  I remember when I found all of them... my plans were to hook seats & covers for them.  Well, ya right!  I don't have the time for that!  I do have a lot of cutter quilts to use though!  Before the night is over, they will be finished (I hope!)... and I can show you more tomorrow!
I don't have a before picture, but I did this chair last week.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE how it finished... and someone else did too!  I took it to my booth & it was sold in just a couple of days!

I painted it a deep red with a black star on the seat... and distressed it.  Then, again thank you to Pinterest inspiration, I made the garland for the chair back.  Too cute, huh?!?
The garland is just strips of cotton looped onto a piece of yarn with a couple of bows in the corners.  Very patriotic with the red, white, and blue!
I printed off a star template from the internet for the seat.  The chair and star were painted with just ordinary spray paint.  After it was dry & sanded, I rubbed it down with walnut stain.

Tony was my handy helper when I was getting the loom warped up.  It has been YEARS since I have done this... and two extra hands were a blessing!  It is all threaded now... and I have begun weaving my first rug on it!
  
YAH!

I'm using up all (most of it anyway) of my cutter quilts.  Friends, don't be alarmed... please!  These quilts are in some sorry, shabby, rippy shape!  The four pieces I need for the chairs & stools will be about the only parts of these old things that are any good.  The rest that has been cut into about 3 inch wide strips... is great for making my rug! 

Who would have thought?  A quilt becomes a floor rug?
There are more things on my To~Do List this week.  I cut a piece of weaver's cloth for projects for July 1st update on Early Work Mercantile (WOW!  That is Saturday night!)... and I still have numerous cross stitch ditties in the works.

So... on that note... I'm headed back to it!

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

Friday, June 22, 2012

~*Friday Finishes*~

Hello Dear Friends!  Another Friday has rolled around... and I'm happy to report there are some beauties to share!

These first finishes come from Pat...

Her sweet garden hanger... a stitch from my freebie ~*In My Garden*~...
She told me she has a "brown thumb", but she does have an awesome collection of door stops lining her stairs.  She made the pillow hanger to display with them.  I just adore the trim of buttons lining the bottom... don't you?
Pat also stitched up my pattern ~*Strawberry Sampler*~... available in my Etsy shoppe or at your local needlework shop...
She made some personal changes to make room for her initials... because her dear hubby is always reminding her to date her work.  Sweet!  You know, I never mind you making personal changes to make the design fit for you.  Awesome!

Both are just beautiful finishes, Pat!  Keep up the great stitches!

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Another lovely finish of my ~*Strawberry Sampler*~ comes from Janice...
She too needed to make some personal changes to the design... because her dear granddaughter is learning her ABC's and noticed the 'V' was missing.  So cute!  Of course that needed to be corrected!  :-)

Janice stitched on 32 count linen... OVER ONE!  Wowzers... I admire you brave souls with such great eyesight!

Another lovely finish, Janice!

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Thank you to both ladies for stitching and sharing... keep the finishes coming... and I will keep sharing!

Today is my... well our... anniversary.  Seven years of wedded bliss!  <3  Tony has taken the day off work today... and Grandma & Grandpa are going to entertain Trinity... so we can spend the day together.

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

Sunday, June 17, 2012

~*I'm Spoiled*~

Yes, dear friends, it is true.  I am spoiled... spoiled rotten!  Next Friday is our wedding anniversary.  We will have been happily married for seven years.  I love Tony more and more every day... and am so blessed to be with him.  He is such a wonderful man... wonderful husband... and wonderful father... just all around awesomely wonderful!  You get the point, right?  I love him!!!
 
 Well, last weekend he surprised me with my anniversary gift.
 A lovely Harrisville Designs floor loom!

When I woke up last Saturday, I had no idea that I would soon be the new owner of this beautiful (used) weaving loom... or that I would even be rekindling my old weaving passion!  I have a small tabletop loom that we found recently at an antique store, but I haven't been able to use it because it is in need of repair.

I took weaving for a couple of years in high school as an elective... and enjoyed it very much.  I owned a large floor loom like this for awhile, but it too was in need of repair and unusable.  I didn't have the money to get it repaired, so I sold it.

~*~*~*~*~*~

We began the day by visiting our local park.  Our small town was holding its annual event ~ Americus Days.  There were vendors set up in the park offering their wares and foodies.  One of the vendors is a local resident... who weavers beautiful rugs and bags out of recycled/reclaimed denim.  We had a very nice visit together... and I was in awe of her work.

We then set out for an event in Cottonwood Falls... Flint Hills Folk Life festival.  Where there were three other weavers offering their beautiful wares.  Plus, there is an awesome fiber shop in downtown Cottonwood Falls called Fiber Factory... where I continued to oooh and awe... and drool over the woven works and looms.

When we arrived home, Tony told me to look on the internet for a loom for sale.  Honestly, I still didn't think I would be getting one, but I looked.  Then I spotted one for sale in Hoyt.  The seller turned out to be a woman I know and a fellow rug hooker.  She was leaving town for vacation, but would be home that evening if we wanted to come by to see it.  Hoyt is over an hour away, but Tony insisted we hop in the truck and go check it out.  Well, he bought it for me... but the day wasn't over.  Since we were so near the Thunder Hill Speedway, we then decided to go to the races!  More fun!!!

All in all, last Saturday started early and ended late.  We traveled through six Kansas counties, saw and played a lot!  It was a wonderful, unplanned, spontaneous day!

Yes, the purchase of the loom was very unplanned, and on a whim... but I do love it!  I've been studying all week and trying to remember what I was taught so long ago.  I'm planning to have it warped up soon (hopefully today) so I can start weaving my first rag rug on it!

Yes, I have yet another crafty passion... and still lack all the time I want/need/require/must have to do it all... but I'm still going to try!

Thanks for letting me share!

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

Friday, June 15, 2012

~*Friday Finishes*~

Hello Dear Friends & Happy Friday!  I hope the day has been blessed for you... it has been for me.  We were out and about in Topeka visiting the zoo and beloved family members.  It was a full day... and I'm a bit tired, but feeling very warm in the heart.
 
Before I go in search of my pillow... there is a beautiful ~*Friday Finish*~ to share with you...
 
~*Prim Sisters Needlebook*~
 
This lovely ditty was stitched up by Faye.  It is her finish of the kit I recently charted up for Country Sampler's Prim Sisters Club.  Oh, she did just a beautiful job!  Inside, she replaced the cotton batting with a wooly heart... just stunning!  I'm just delighted to see finishes... always.  Thank you, Faye, for sending me your lovely finish to share.  'Lovely' just doesn't seem like enough goodness to describe it.  ***smiles***

I'm not sure what the weekend holds in store... but I do have many other things to share with you.  I will do my best to work on another post... quickly.

Until them... wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

Thursday, June 14, 2012

~*Primitive Handmades Mercantile*~ Updated!

Hello Dear Friends!  Just a quick note to let you know... my page on Primitive Handmades Mercantile is now updated.  

I'm offering the two needlepunch pillow tucks pictured above.  In my imagination... they were created by Ma Hooligan.  The ~*Little Red Pony*~ was made for her daughter, Charlotte's birthday... because Charlotte loved her amber~colored pony so.

I hope you get a chance to stop by... my offering page... but do be sure to visit the other wonderful works by the talented artists in the bunch.  You will be delighted!

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Also, this offering has not found a new home as of yet...
I took new pictures of it to try to get a better display of the fine shading... I still think it is much more faint (and nice) in person... and listed it on Ebay.  You can view the listing HERE if interested.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This has been another busy/hectic/packed week... and tomorrow is no exception.  Trinity and I plan to visit my Grandma (that will be a treat... we miss her!)... and the Topeka Zoo There is a new exhibit... PENGUINS!  They will be refreshing to see on a hot summer day! 

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty
 

Friday, June 8, 2012

~* Not Finished ~ Friday *~

Hello Dear Friends!  Happy Friday!  Well, sadly I don't have any ~*Friday Finishes*~ to share... but I do have several things that are in the works... from my hands.  Between all the other things that keep me busy...

a little cross stitch...

a little locker hooking...


and a little needlepunch...
 Well, truth be told... I have many other things started that didn't get in the camera shoot this morning.  Why are there so many different things started and unfinished?  I must just be scatter~brained!  If only I could focus on one thing at a time!


What will I be working on today?  Who knows?  First off, I need to get out to water the gardens.  We are really needing rain here.  I would like to transplant some Walnut tree saplings... and should pull some weeds.  Then there is a chair that I've decided needs to be painted white... or maybe red... with a few Folk Art touches... to offer for sale in our booth.  The kiddo is on a mini~vacation with some family members... so I don't need to set up any Play Dates or take him to any activities... but will I get side~tracked from working on my crafty desires?  Will I get anything finished?  Only time will tell.


Wishing you warm smiles...


Betty

Sunday, June 3, 2012

~*Happily Ever After*~

That is how the fairy tale goes!
 
 
Hello Dear Friends!  I just have to share!

Yesterday was the big day!  My beautiful, lil' Sister had her fairy tale wedding... and she married the man of her dreams.  Angie and James are sure to live happily ever after!

They are have not only joined together themselves... but three lovely, little girls are now officially sisters... Emma, Madison, and Carter.

I couldn't be more happy for them all!

My love and best wishes for... Angie, James, and the girls! 

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty