More flowers (arangements)

click on the pictures to enlarge

This is my table full of flowers to take to the cemetery.

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I bought 4 of the cone containers you stick in the ground. This is one of them filled with red carnations.
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The yellow daisies are for the basket for Mom... they are ready to set down in it when we get there. I have extra flowers to fill in with if needed, but not having the basket here makes it hard to really know what to do.

J

floral arrangement

Finally today I got to the floral arrangement... I sort of had an idea of what I wanted it to look like but wasn't sure... so just started little by little until it looked almost good. I am such a NOT floral arranger but I hope it's good enough. Kiko was so talented in this area, I wish I could do half as good. These are artificial flowers wired onto some grapevine sticks and the whole thing is wired onto a scalloped brick. The scallop doesn't have a reason for being.. I just used what I had. I wanted it heavy so the wind wouldn't blow it away.. I covered the bare spots with moss and used a hot glue gun. Will try to make another arrangement tomorrow to put on Moms grave too. I noticed the basket of flowers were all faded... That's not good. I'm trying my best to remember what that basket looks like but it seems I'm drawing a blank.. anyway here are a couple of pics of the arrangement I made today. Remember click on the images to see them bigger... Hard to get a picture of the whole thing or to really show the size... it's well over three feet in length. I think closer to four.

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Beads.....not finished

I made these beads when we went camping but I forgot to take my paints.. I do have some clay that doesn't need painting.. The blue beads were made using colored fimo but the others I am painting. The peach colored bracelet isn't finished. I need to paint two more beads and I need to buy some elastic to string them on. I'll post a finished pic when they are done. I put the beads onto skewers to hold them while I paint them and leave them there to dry.. J

Finished the dog sweater...

I did it... I crocheted my dog a sweater without even knowing how. He's a funny sized dog. Not very big around but kinda long... I have yet to find one sweater in the stores that would fit him right. So I decided to make one. This is my first attempt at crocheting a sweater for him but now that I've done it and see how well it fits him I think I'll make him several. Sure fits him good and a lot cheaper than anything readymade.. I'm quite proud of this...

J

Spring has Sprung

I've worked only a little on the dogs sweater today... I did look at some picture frames that I wanted. This project is going to be rather costly so I might only have to do a few at a time. But I am determined to do it. This evening I went outside for awhile and noticed how pretty the spring flowers were. I don't have much yard here but the flowers are nice anyway. Would love a bigger yard again but then that would mean more weeds too... this will have to do. I thought I'd put a few pics of the flowers here. Remember if you click on a pic it will enlarge and be so much prettier... J

Next project?

Ok so I've scrapped the curtain idea... Now I'm going to work on matting and framing some pictures of floral arrangements that Kiko did... I've scanned them all and printed them out. Some have been printed to 8x10 and some 5 x 7... and several smaller. Will have to figure out what size frames to buy and what size mats to make. Here's a few of the pictures I will frame. Tomorrow I'll post more pictures...

Egads what now?

Ok so I made one curtain... oh my but it looks awful. The curtain itself is nice but it just doesn't do justice to the windows or the room. In fact it actually detracts from the open airy look that I so dearly love. What now? I think if it was just the lacy sheer it would look ok... but the lining makes it look not good. Still if it were just the sheer, that wouldn't solve the problem of the dog seeing everything.. nervous little thing he is, protective of his territory and he really lets us know if someone is walking by... That shrill bark cuts right inside of my eardrum.. however I am not willing to ugly up my living room for him. So I must go to plan B. Now to just figure out what B is....

J

Idle? You think I've been idle?

Well, I haven't really been idle.. I did finish printing my family reunion pictures from last year and got those all into an album... and I finished the 2008 miscellaneous album. I've scanned and printed out about a dozen pictures of floral arrangements Kiko did. I want to frame and mat them... then I'll make a grouping of them on the living room wall. I'm lacking wall decor in there anyway.

Oh and I'm crocheting a dog sweater. I've never done a crocheted dog sweater before. No pattern either but even if I had a pattern I wouldn't know how to use it.

And reporting on the curtains.... I've finally found the rest of the material. Found it online so am about to order that. I bought the tannish lining material today. I have enough of the lace fabric to do the front six windows.. By the time I'm done with those the other fabric should be here. I'm just thankful I don't have to make different toppers. When I get these done I'll post pictures.

Ok so that's the gist of what I've been doing craftwise.. J



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She's done

Violet is done...





Despite some messups with the scissors, the machine and my thumbs.. she's done and not horrible. I fixed the problems with the sewing machine and know a couple of other things that could have been done differently to make it better so if I do decide to make another one of these and I think I will... the next one will be better. Don't think this one is good enough to give away although I did make the shoes smaller and I opened her feet and added some more stuffing there. Shoes fit better now. I had put too much blush on and she looked like a clown. Couldn't get it off until I hit on the bright idea of Spray and Wash.. that removes anything. So.. she's done and sort of cute too.... J

Window coverings

I made these toppers when we bought this house a few years back. The whole wall was covered with sheers and heavy floor to ceiling drapes. The walls were dark paneled. It was dark and dreary. I got rid of those old curtains and lightened up the walls. I made the toppers and just inset mini blinds inside the window frames so as not to detract from their shape. I could close the blinds and the dog wouldn't see out but that makes the room dark again. I hate dark rooms. So I want to get the same lace material as I've used on the toppers to make inset cafe type curtains. I will line them with a tan color so he won't be able to see people walking by.. but with the blinds open the top half of the window will let in some light. J

Getting there

Here's a couple of pictures.....

I still have to do her shoes but Violet is almost done... at least she's covered and not laying around in the nude. It's a bit harder to do these things now because my thumbs are shot but I think all in all, despite the problems I had with the scissors and sewing machine, she's kinda cute. J.

Violets hair is done !!!

Yea her hair is done... I do want to find a different head band for her though....Hopefully tomorrow I can start on her clothes. Then just a little blush and some nail polish... lookin' good. J

A Little Progress

A few pics of Violet... taking shape

I finished the face sculpting, embroidered the eyelashes and started attaching the lovely pink hair... Would have done more but having dog trouble again today....

J

No pics but that doesn't mean....

I've been idle. I actually got the year 2008 events of our family recorded in pictures and all put in albums. I've labeled the albums so I know which is which and I don't have to drag each one out when I'm looking for something. Oh and I finished Violets other foot and knee...... and now she has a lovely little nose.

I plan on sculpting her face tomorrow..... then I'll take some more pictures.

J

No Doll work today.

I didn't work on my doll because my thumb hurt. Maybe tomorrow. But what I want to show you is some low carb crackers I made early last summer. I worked and worked to get the recipe just right. They are so good my son thought I should market them. Here's a couple of pictures.

I think cooking is a craft, don't you?

J

Sculpting has begun

Part of the face has to be embroidered before sculpting... so that part is done. I did get both hands sculpted and one leg and foot. You have to admit Violet is starting to take shape. Even though I found my sculpting needles... I still find them to be too big.. not too long but too big around and difficult to push through the stuffing. Wish I could find a skinnier needle.. I will before I make another one of these dolls. J