Hello, Dollie! You're lookin' swell...

She needs some hair, and a face

When Tilda's Spring Ideas came out -- well long before the book came out -- I saw the Sewing Room Angel and knew I had to make her.
She has been a work in progress for much of this week. I have worked on her off as I organized the new den. She still doesn't have hair, or a face, but she will at some point this week. Once she is ready for her close up, I will stage a proper photo shoot.

Wallet key ring combo

I also finished my new wallet key ring combo. I began this at Sandra's house a week ago, and only now is it finished. I had some issues with it, read on...
This is a kit with fabric, components and the pattern from Quilt A Bag.
I took three runs at this. The first two times the binding fabric I used did not work with the other fabrics. I am good with colour, and that is usually a blessing when matching threads and picking fabrics for projects, but it is a curse when you get it wrong. It is impossible to continue until I feel it is right.
I made three sets of binding, installed two of them, hated them both, but then the third time was the charm. I have made more of this green polka dot binding just because I think it will go well with other things in the future.
This little wallet project actually required me to install a zipper -- by hand. I did it! I did it wrong the first time -- naturally -- so I had to reverse the zipper to allow easy access to the pockets in the wallet. I love the little apple zipper pull.
I think I have found some presents for my gal pals this Christmas, provided I can get only the components from QAB.
It there is one thing I don't need, it is more fabric.
Or bags, and yet, while I was at Value Village recently, I found a Cath Kidston Crossbody Messenger canvas bag for $3.99!
I was so happy to see it I almost squealed. Okay, I actually did a little squeal. It wasn't a loud squeal, but it was a happy one.
The fabric on the bag features English landmarks and is called Britannia. The bag has an outer pocket and two inner pockets. It is perfect condition, and I am pretty lucky to have found it at any price. At under $5, it is kind of a miracle.

Seriously, I would rather move house

All summer long, we had to plan for the big move. The den was to become my daughter's new room because it is a better shape,  providing both a bedroom and office space.
She is in teacher's college this year, and needs to have space to do assignments and other work from her practicum work in schools.
Eventually, it was down to wire. We had to get it done, as she was about to start school.
This project has taken two weeks. TWO WEEKS! And I am not yet finished.
Getting started reminded me of the tile puzzles we used to give the kids to keep them busy on long car trips.
We had to put things all over the house in order to make the moves necessary. Yikes! At one point, I said it would have been easier to move house completely.
I moved my desk and my various storage racks out of the way. The kids moved the bed from one room to the other.
Then, they moved the futon, and I moved the racks.
I bought EZ Slide Moving pads. Amazing product. It was how we got the TV unit out of her new room and into the new den. The whole thing moved down the hall with very little effort. We also used them to move DD's book cases and her desk into her new room. The plan came together in a week. The settling in will take longer.
Along the way, we both decided to "right size" our various collections. DD collection of books were sort of getting out of hand. Ditto several areas of my craft room. Once again, the pickings at Goodwill will be pretty good for a little while for others...
I am now in the process of putting the fabric stash in order by project. The fabric I don't have plans for at the moment will be either filed neatly away, or perhaps even donated to Goodwill. I have to remember that as much as I would like to, I likely won't live forever.
I wish I didn't love fabric quite so much....

Are we a pear?

With all this moving and shaking, I haven't done a great deal of creating, and my room isn't ready for its close up quite yet.
Last Friday, Sandra and Susan and I got together and tried our hand at making some little purses and a wallet. We had a lovely visit, but as usual, I did more unpicking than actual sewing. I hope to finish up my little wallet soon, and I will post the photos. I had a few things going on...
On the weekend,  I made apple and a pear pincushions to give as gifts to my oldest friends. We got together on Monday for lunch.
I have been friends with these girls since we were in kindergarten, and we try to get together at least once a year for our birthdays. I like to make them a little gift each. I just love doing these little fruit pincushions, and they use up scraps.
My friend Mary made some spicy red pepper jelly from the peppers in her garden.
It will be part of an easy appetizer at Thanksgiving this October. Place a brick of cream cheese in the middle of a large platter, and spread the jelly on top of  the cheese, surround it with various kinds of crackers, and step back quickly. People tend to dive toward it...
Well, it's back to the organizing project for me! Send help if you don't hear from me in a couple of weeks...

Blu-it-ful plummage!

Jellybean, the parrot

Miss B is working as a summer camp activities co-ordinator. This week, it was Pirate Week. Naturally, she had to have a parrot. She kept telling me not to worry about making a parrot, but I KNOW how to make a parrot, and my Tilda's Studio book has a pattern for a cockatiel.
Me being me, I decided to switch a few things up and created Jellybean. She is called Jellybean because of the print on her wings. She is also a Norwegian Blue, the parrot celebrated in the famous Monty Python Dead Parrot Sketch.
My inspiration for the colour scheme came from the line, "Beautiful plummage..." I had to find some fun, colourful fabric for the wings.
Then I remembered a little scrap that I acquired from Sandra.  Covered with jellybeans, her wings were a big hit with Miss B's little campers!
Speaking of fabric acquired from Sandra, look at what she sent to me via a website called Pink Castle Fabrics.

Present from Sandra!

I just love this fabric! I don't even know what I am going to make with it, but it will likely be something for DH birthday this December.

In our family, we have a thing for gnomes.

Each year, we search and search for  a gnome for DH New Year's Eve birthday. I can't remember why we started doing it, but it is one of those family traditions, stridently observed and insanely important. 

One year, we found a little traveling gnome. Thereafter, now and then, the gnome actually travels. There are always photos of his adventures, and they are part of our family photo history.

He's been to London to visit the Queen

This spring, the Gnome mysteriously showed up in London, Paris and parts of Scotland.
He event went to London to visit the Queen!
But, since there is Gnome place like home, the traveling gnome always comes home and sits on the bookshelf, waiting patiently for his next adventure.
The gnome fabric might become just about anything, and it will serve as a reminder of not only how much fun gnomes are, but also of how lucky I am to have such lovely friends.
Thanks, Sandra. You are a peach I tell ya! A peach!