Thursday, October 31, 2013

Happy Halloween!

Stay safe and use common sense please!

Friday, October 25, 2013

Another BLOG SPECIAL - The Candy Keeper now an E-PATTERN

I spent HOURS today converting my versatile "Candy Keeper" pattern into an e-pattern, and in order to promote this pattern I'm offering it at the discounted price of $7 from now until the end of December. Come January, the cost will revert to $10 (that's how it's listed on my website and Etsy right now).

The entire document is 24 pages long, which includes a cover sheet, supply list, instructions and pattern pages to make these five variations. The container portion of the doll upcycles plastic gallon milk jugs.


candy_girl.jpg (87345 bytes)
candy_annie.jpg (88807 bytes)
candy_scare.jpg (94905 bytes)
candy_witch.jpg (76959 bytes)
candy_santa.jpg (72800 bytes)

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Hazel the Witch ~ now an E-PATTERN

Today I spent some time converting my Hazel the Witch pattern to an e-pattern. Unfortunately the process took quite a bit longer this time around as my new computer has a different operating system than my last, so I had to relearn some things.
Hazel is a pin doll or ornie, about 6 inches tall. Her arms and legs are jointed; her clothing is not removable.
 
And because it's the season, I'll be selling both the e-pattern and the original paper pattern at the discounted price of $3 for the rest of October and the whole month of November. The paper pattern, of course, will be slightly more to allow for postage. I hate the way the spacing below is but if I mess with it, the PayPal buttons don't work. If you find they don't work for you, just drop me an email at blueheron61@charter.net or blueherondolls@hotmail.com ~ Thanks!!
 
12/1/13 - this blog special has expired.
 

Monday, October 7, 2013

Life Book 2013 October Lessons

Tam Laporte taught this first lesson of October. I started with the background (monoprinting with a gelli plate) while waiting for some stamp carving tools to arrive. 
 
One of the other students included a link to this video, a tutorial by Linda Germain on how to make your own gelli plate.


  
Aimee Myers Dolich taught this lesson. Not a favorite, but I did it anyway.


Julie Fei-Fan Balzer taught this lesson. I was unable to achieve the loose, abstract look I was going for. Just way too uptight, I guess!
 


Now this one was really fun!

More Art Journaling Explorations HERE

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Three Quilts!

I've monopolized the kitchen with my sewing stuff for an entire week, but I'm glad I did because now I've got three finished quilts. I should not be allowed to piece any more quilt tops, because I have  three others waiting to be finished, and lots more fabric.

The first quilt was Fiona's birthday quilt. This was my gift to Fiona on her 2nd birthday (she's 3 1/2 now!)  It took me quite some time to choose the "Simple Courthouse Steps" block for her quilt. The fabric used is from a fat quarter bundle by Riley Blake, called "Fiona's Fancy." You can see the three color ways in this post, Fiona's mommy picked the pinks. I chose lime green, chocolate brown,and pale yellow for the sashing and borders. The backing and binding are a hot pink print. 57 X 74 inches in size.

The second quilt was one I started in early 2012 after signing up for Jenny Doan's Quilting Quickly course on Craftsy. So it's about time I got this one done. It's made from a jelly roll - loulouthi fabric collection by anna maria horner. 48 X 71 inches in size. I underestimated how much fabric I needed for the backing, so I had to add some strips of other fabric, which you can see HERE.

The third quilt was started almost exactly one year ago, from a fund-raiser Mystery Quilt pattern called "Jack of Hearts" by Heather Spence. I made two quilt tops using this pattern, and finished one of them last night. Read more about this pattern HERE. This quilt is 63 X 63 inches, and as the actual quilting was in a simple grid pattern, it went fairly quickly. I'm very please that the quilt top was made using fabric from my stash. I did have to buy the backing, which is the same print as the binding shown here.