STITCHIN' CRAZY

I know that lately I have been rather pessimistic and down.  I guess it is after Christmas blues.  Just to let you know that I can finish something, here are pics of a little sachet I made recently.  It was a gift to go with a purse I sold. 

Just a little simple thing that only took a little bit to make. Maybe now I can finally get in the groove.  I am working on a pillow top that I started a long time ago. I didn't like the center part ~ a ruffled lace heart outline and a lot of ribbon work. I have gotten it out and looked at it and then put it back up. Finally I just ripped the ribbon and lace out. I had done a lot of ribbon work, but I just couldn't stand to look at it. I found a vintage pic of a lady with flowers that I had printed off on fabric and I have tacked it down and now I have decided how I will decorate it.  I am not kidding when I say I have spent a lot of time looking at it. I have an ottoman in front of my recliner (that doesn't recline any more, but it is a Lazyboy and VERY comfortable to sit and sew in). Any way I put the piece on the ottoman and left it there for the last week and just looked at it when I was reading books or watching movies w/ the hubbyman. I have finally reached a decision.  Now we will see if I can execute what I have in mind.  Here is the now pictures and I will post the after picture in a couple of days

This is only the basic stitching.  I have put a few beads on it so far, but a whole lot will follow.  While I was taking that picture I decided to photograph some finished pieces, 2 of the first crazy quilt pieces I ever did.

I don't remember why I strip pieced them. I have never been able to put them up for sale. Several people have wanted to buy both of them but I just couldn't let them go.  Funny how you can bet attached to some things. Sometimes I know there is a flaw in a piece and I want sell it.  I have a handbag like that. I made a mistake with one of the straps and turned it wrong. I guess no one would ever even notice it, but I do.  When Mother and I were sewing for shows, sometimes I would hit a piece like top stitching something, I just could not get it right. After ripping it out 3 times I made it a practice to throw it away and quit working on it, because after 3 times I would never get THAT piece right.  I would waste too much time trying to fix it and could have something else finished and ready to go in that same time.  Well that is it for tonite.
God Bless each of you.
Mary

MORE SACHETS AND IS TIME FLYING OR WHAT??

I have been trying to get some work done this week.  I have made some progress. Here and there. Some shows and some does not.  I have found some things and lost some things. It seems to be a hopeless cycle.  I can have something IN MY HAND !! and NOT be able to find it 10 minutes later.  I have managed to get a few things finally posted to my THIRD ETSY shop. http://www.marysfabricnstuff.etsy.com/  I put some Christmas ornaments out here.  They are regular Christmas fabrics, my Mother and i made them when we were doing craft shows under Mary's Country Crafts.  Since we haven't done shows together since 1999, they almost are vintage now.  I will have some angel ornaments soon as I can get some angel hair ready and get my glue gun fired up. If I didn't have to do things like feed the hubby, wash clothes, run the dishwasher (I know ALL I have to do is load and unload it) all these LITTLE things do take time out of my day. I am getting old and while the energizer bunny is cottage pink, I ain't the bunny, not anymore.  Apparently I don't have the get up and go I used to have. It got up and went. Far away and didn't leave a forwarding address, a trail of breadcrumbs NOTHING!! So now all I can do "try to remember" (humhum remember the song). I remember when I would cut out 200 country aprons ( thats skirts, 4 ties, 2 pockets with matching lining, and a quilted bib for EACH APRON) all in ONE DAY.  And we quilted the bib, too ( was NOT purchased quilted fabric). I really used to be able to churn the sewing out, feed horses, exercise same horses, feed other animals, haul feed. etc,etc.
Wow makes me tired to think about it.  I still say that energy (like 3 yr olds have) is wasted on the young.  It is this old folk that needs it. All of it.  Any way here some pics of some of the Christmas ornaments and then some lavender sachets that I listed on my http://marysrosecottage.etsy.com/ .

You all have a nice weekend, and I am going to try to get some more things listed and REST.
God bless all of you.

Mary

Hi! My name is Mary Thompson and this is my very first time to "blog"!! I'm not sure of all the ins and out of this, but it does look like fun. I am a 60 year old woman that has spent most of my life crafting. I love to sew, crazy quilt, bead, design - all of it. I love the cottage chic, victorian romantic look and "things". I sell some on EBAY and ETSY. I also have my own web site: rosecottagetreasures.com . I just started the site in June and I have been sewing this summer like a mad woman trying to get lots of "pretties" ready for the fall and the holiday season.

I love to look at all of the pretty blogs on the web. I have found one- Mind Wide Open that is right up my alley. I also love to read Belle Armoire magazine for inspiration. I have just recently discovered altered art and mix media etc. I had been dabbling in it for years and just didn't know where to connect.

I don't have any good pictures of myself. I wish I was as pretty as the redhead I chose to use. I do have red hair only now it is getting a lot of white and blond in it. Isn't that something that you have to wait 60 years to become a blond naturally!! Life is always full of suprises.

I have 5 cats. Two very young kittens and 3 adults. Silver is my only adult female. She is pretty wild. She is a shaggy gray cat, not very big but she rules the roost. Sweetheart is a 2 year old male. When I named him I didn't know he was a "him". My cats are outdoor fairly wild cats. They come up to the deck for meals, I have 2 dog houses on the deck that they sleep in when the weather is cold, ( I live in central Alabama) . I have worked really hard with these 2 kittens trying to 'socialize' them. Sometimes they will let me pick them up, but they are very skittish. When I am sitting on the deck they will play with my toes. That is something new. There is hope. Well, i am going to sign off now, the 'brats' are making a fuss (my cats) for their supper. I will try to post some pictures of some of the items I have sold on ebay and around town here next time. Love, Mary