2012 - Week One - Let's Do This2012 - Week One - Let's Do This I'm starting off 2012 with a positive surge of energy and eagerness because I know this is going to be a great year!  This year, although I don't set new year's goals or resolutions, I am looking forward...

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Week Fifty - GiftsWeek Fifty - Gifts This week's post is all about gifts.  First I'll start with the gift of an amazing husband who cares for me way more than I could ever deserve.  This past week, my laptop that I use for doing my job...

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Week Fourty Nine - Lessons LearnedWeek Fourty Nine - Lessons Learned One of the things I have learned about blogging over the past years, is that the very thing that you most want to write about generally keeps you from writing. That thing is called life. When I get busy,...

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Week Thirty - Rabbits Reborn and Sharing the Game of SoccerWeek Thirty - Rabbits Reborn and Sharing the Game of... This week has been a long one.  Scott has been in Africa all week and does not get back until Wednesday.  Although I have missed him greatly, I have been able to accomplish much with the quiet house...

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Week Twenty Nine - Missions and MittensWeek Twenty Nine - Missions and Mittens Scott left for Uganda yesterday on his first mission trip, ever.  He will be gone for 10 days and is part of an all male (testosterone rich) group of coaches and active guys.  He was excited, nervous,...

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2012 – Week One – Let’s Do This

Category : Featured, Fiber Arts, Journal

I’m starting off 2012 with a positive surge of energy and eagerness because I know this is going to be a great year!  This year, although I don’t set new year’s goals or resolutions, I am looking forward to staying out of the hospital for the entire year, seeing my Etsy shop, Arwen’s Child, take off, and finally, voting in a new president!  Don’t know what your political affiliations are, but I am leaning heavily toward Ron Paul at this time.

All the gifts I made throughout the year and stored for Christmas seemed to be appreciated and loved by all recipients.  We had Christmas dinner and desert with the parental units on Christmas Eve and I made these.

Christmas Day we shared with the kids in Colorado via FaceTime.

We were able to open presents with them and visit for a while, which was really nice.  It was still not anything like having them here, where I could hug them and enjoy their extended company, but it will have to do for now.  I started thinking about it and realized that I saw Luke the day he was born, and I won’t see (touch) him again until he is walking.  Life…

As far as I can tell, EVERYONE liked what I made for them for Christmas.  Everything fit every recipient, which was a plus!  I think I am going to continue to make or (in rare cases) purchase Christmas gifts throughout the year.  It really saved a lot of stress and $$ at the end of the year.  So, if you are (or want to be, I’m happy to make gifts for those who will cherish them) on my list, please make sure I have your sizes and pertinent information so that I can make you something that fits.

Christmas for me was pretty cool this year, in terms of gifts, also.  I pooled my saving stash with my Christmas gift money (and Scott’s) and picked out this baby.

She is a Janome 9500 and is totally awesome!  I haven’t done any embroidery on her yet, but I will very soon.  Over the Christmas holidays I was able to finish up one of the two wine colored dresses that had been commissioned last year before I went into the hospital.  Unfortunately, I had to refund the deposit to the customer because of the hospital and recovery issue, but I still want to finish the two dresses for Arwen’s Child.  Here is the first one of the pair.  This dress is called Hope and is available.  The dress is size 6 and would make a wonderful special occasion dress for a lovely little girl.  If you visit my shop, please make it one of your favorites.  I would appreciate it!

The second gift I received was an Amazon gift card.  Yep, it is spent!  Those things don’t survive long in my hands.  Here is what I procured with it.

Finally, I did finish one other project over the holiday.  In 1995, I stitched “Blueberry Homecoming” and now I have, framed, it’s twin piece “Raspberry Homecoming.”  Sixteen years between the two but I can cross them off the bucket list.

Here’s hoping everyone who reads this has a super 2012.

DKF

Auburn Tigers Football Season (is just around the corner)

Category : Fiber Arts

…and so, I have finally added two new dresses to the collection on my Etsy shop. One is another adorable Auburn dress. It is navy blue and has Auburn across the front. The other dress is probably the most classy and detailed dress I have made to date. The detail on this second dress is awesome. These two dresses have been finished for a while, but had to wait for life to calm down and photos to be taken.

Now that I am back from teaching Hand Quilting at the Estes Park Fiber Festival (which was enormously gratifying) and I now have one graduate class, instead of three, on my plate, hopefully, I can get back to smocking, knitting, sewing….etc. It felt really good to get back into the teaching mode at the festival. I really love it when I can see students actually understanding and improving their skills throughout the duration of the class. Thanks to my minor afternoon contribution, I can say that there are 20 more people out there who have a better understanding of the art of hand quilting. Fabulous!

Now, on to the dresses. I have the fabric in the stash for an Alabama Roll Tide dress, but have yet to put a needle to it. Also in the works is an Auburn toddler bubble outfit that is just adorable, complete with paw prints. So, if you haven’t yet visited my Etsy site, please, please, please do. I would really appreciate it!

As always, comments are welcome and appreciated!

Fair Winds

Go Tigers // Auburn University Football Smocking Begins

Category : Featured, Fiber Arts

If you live anywhere in the southeastern United States you probably follow, or at least are aware of the SEC and it’s rival schools.   I thought I would get a jump on things by starting some orange and blue dresses for the fall football frenzy that is Auburn Football.  Below is my first dress for the season and the images are linked to my Etsy shop, in case you want to browse more.  Enjoy!

Western Baby

Category : Featured, Fiber Arts

Just finished the next order in line and thought I would show it off.  One of my customers ordered an outfit for a newborn to 3 month old baby that had to be in a western theme.  Here is what I came up with…Like it?

Meet Ella

Category : Featured, Fiber Arts

I am so lucky to have found two awesome models for my first little girls dresses.  Yesterday, I delivered the two Easter dresses that I completed earlier this week and, as promised, got some awesome photos.  The dresses were custom made for Lauren and Ella.  The first photos are of Ella, modeling her new dress in the garden.  The last photo is of her sister’s dress.  Enjoy.