Cats!

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” ~ Anatole France
Our neighbor’s cat, Patty aka Stinka, keeps us entertained.  Her kitten antics are a vivid reminder of those years long ago when our own black cat climbed the screen, tore through the house like a tornado and jumped three feet up in the air for no reason at all.  That cat eventually grew up to be a very loving and sedate cat.
The jury is out on Stinka.  This morning she greeted me at the back door covered with grass seeds and spider webs.  Shortly thereafter, she used the raised planter bed as her own personal toilet.  She’s a lovable nuisance, that much I already know.  As for her future, more mature self, we will have to wait and see what develops.  And keep a close eye on the garden soil in the meantime.

Practice, Practice, Practice

A while back I talked about Alisa Burke’s Sketchbook Delight class.  You may remember my excessive supply stash.  I actually have done some sketching since then but not every day and lately not even every week.  Which is bad, I know.  So to prove that I haven’t completely abandoned the whole idea, I’m showing these two sketches.

They are very different in style and subject.  And yet they both remind me of the familiar.  However, it’s the whimsical nature of the buttons that entices me the most.  I keep going back to it.  And I believe one of the biggest benefits to a sketchbook, especially to someone just starting to keep one, is what it reveals to you when you look back at it.  The way you can see trends in your subject matter or choice of media.  All of it essential to finding your own voice.

My fabric voice rings loud and clear.  My drawing voice is still just a bunch of chatter and whistles and sighs.  Back to the drawing board I go.  I have a lot of practicing to do yet. 

Mod Podge, Paint and Monograms

Mod Podge isn’t just for girls and all things sparkly.  It’s also the perfect thing to whip up something handmade for a boy.  For instance, this monogrammed canvas.  Simple supply list and almost idiot proof.

These are the supplies I used:

  1. 8″ x 10″ canvas
  2. Mod Podge–Regular and Fabric
  3. Fabric scrap (Jay McCarroll’s Habitat)
  4. Acrylic paint–white, black and red
  5. One sheet of foam to make your own stamp designs 

To begin, paint the canvas with one layer of a background color.  I used white for this bold graphic effect.  While the canvas dries, prepare your stamp designs.  Cut your desired shapes out of the foam and glue them to a second piece of foam for extra handling ease.  Or use found objects with interesting shapes.  (I used a 16 penny nail head to make the red dots.)

Prepare your fabric scrap with Fabric Mod Podge.  Remember to use something underneath it to protect your work surface.  When dry, cut out the letter.  I drew mine freehand but you can also print and enlarge any letter in any font you find attractive.

After the canvas is dry, apply the background design using your newly made stamps.  Unless you glue them to scraps of wood or plastic, they will be flimsy.  This is perfectly fine and you should not worry about any little bits of edges that leave paint behind.  If they really bother you, you can paint over them.  But I would caution against trying for perfection.  Especially if you want to achieve a look like the one I made.  Randomness and unexpected points of color add interest and help set off the more elegantly styled letter.

After all the paint has dried, apply your letter with regular Mod Podge.  Apply several coats, drying between each of them to finish your project.  Hang as is, frame it or set on a display stand on a shelf.

And that’s it!  You’re done. 

Happy Summer Solstice!

The hollyhocks are starting to bloom and the promise of clear sunny days lies before us.  My sister-in-law arrives tomorrow for a four day visit to Casa P so there will be some sightseeing in our future.  I will try to remember to take the camera along.  Just in case you want to share in the sights.

Back on Track

Holy moly! It seems like I’m just checking back into reality.  Or at least reality as I prefer it.  Colds and computer troubles are fading into a distant memory.  Still a bit to do to load the new computer with the right programs.  But I’m back in the blogosphere.  Finally!  I’m so glad to be back.

Despite everything, I did manage to sew on Saturday.  Jane Sassaman’s Garden Divas continue to speak to me.  I plan to add one more pieced border to this wall hanging.  The soothing blue tones were just what I needed to keep from losing it completely; but I think something to bring out those pinks will make it sing.

The kitty in the first picture is our neighbor’s cat, Petey.  He and his sister are daily visitors.  To them we are “the people who live in our other yard.”  They make us laugh.  And Petey makes sure that I take breaks from sewing now and then to go outside to pet him.  Sometimes it’s the animals who know what’s best.

Getting By

Image in Public Domain, Obtained from Wikimedia Commons

Finally back to some sewing around here.  Although, sadly, computer glitches are keeping me from sharing any photos.  Perhaps by Monday, things will be operational around here.  Or not.  In the meantime, thank heavens for my tiny Netbook.  I don’t know how people manage to work off tablets and phones.  I guess I’m just Old School.  

It scares me to think of the Cloud.  I know it’s coming but I am not ready.  I’ve had enough headache dealing with a crashed PC and malware/virus/etc.  Can you imagine what happens when the Cloud crashes?  Productivity plummets across the board. 

I’m going to enjoy the sunshine for a while.  I need a break from technology and all its traps.  Enjoy your weekend and don’t forget to spend time being disconnected.

What’s Up With That?

Just when the brain cells started firing again, the computer developed some infections.  It goes like that sometimes in Life.  No sooner do you put out one fire but the next is threatening to engulf you.  Most of today and all of my brain cells went to the fixing the computer’s issues.  While scans were running, I managed to crack open the Mod Podge and start a new project.  Some days, the best you can do is revert to childhood and play with glue.

Hope your day, and your week, have been better than things here at Casa P.  

A Forced Rest

No productivity here over the weekend–a summer cold is getting the best of me.  The garden, however, is coming along nicely.  If the sun ever comes out, we just might get some June tomatoes from the Czech Bush.  We’ve enjoyed a couple of red oak lettuce salads, some green beans and plenty of basil.  But it’s the tomatoes we’re really looking forward to.

Hot tea and a book are waiting.  Have a good week! 

Mod Podge Tags — Take Two

You know what I love about Mod Podge?  Well, one thing, anyway.  It’s always there waiting for you, ready to go at a moment’s notice.  I also love the easy clean up, its nontoxic nature and the fun factor of working with something so simple. 

To make these little plastic dog tags for kids (or kids-at-heart), you will need the following items:

  1. Fabric Mod Podge
  2. Applicator
  3. Plastic dog tags (I found these at Joann’s in the kid’s summer craft section)
  4. Fabric scraps
  5. Scissors
  6. Card stock (optional)

Apply the Mod Podge to the right side of your fabric scraps.  Remember to do this on wax paper or aluminum foil to keep your work surface clean.  Allow to dry.   Using the template included with the tags, trace onto the wrong side of your fabric taking care to center any design element you wish to highlight.  Cut out the piece and apply to the tag with more Mod Podge.

Use card stock for the insert on the second tag of the pair.  Stamp or write the pertinent information on the card stock before inserting into the tag.  

Put both tags on the ring and you are ready to go. Send your kids off to camp with easy identifiers for their bags and belongings.  Or put them on your own bags for a whimsical touch.  Make it your key chain or use them to easily identify various keys for things around your home–garage, shed, etc.  It’s completely up to you.

More Garden Divas

While the rest of the country struggles with heat waves, we’re dealing with a lack of sunshine and temperatures in the low to mid 60′s. June Gloom usually means overcast skies with afternoon sunshine and temperatures hovering around 70 at least. It’s depressing weather, demotivating weather. And to combat it, I’ve enlisted Jane Sassaman’s Garden Divas.

The Exotic colorway is so bright and colorful with it’s warm reds and energizing yellows .  The quilt is made up of 6 inch squares from the Zinnias and the Daisy Checks, while the border is cut from the Bleeding Heart print.  To break up the harsh angles of all those squares and checks I quilted it with a simple arc pattern.

The coordinating pillow contains fussy cut irises as well as bleeding hearts from the Bleeding Heart print and fussy cut dragonflies from Lively Silhouette.  A burst of drama at the very center is a fussy cut flower from Lively Silhouette.  I combined them all with red and yellow dots from Hothouse Garden for a little extra kick.

If you’ve got the fans on and the AC running, this may color combination may take you over the top.  In that case, try this same easy mix in either the Peacock or Pastel range.  The effect would be dramatically different.

Enjoy your day and plan for a creative weekend!