CQ Snowballs/Vintage Bluejeans/Free Shipping on Laces

Last time I posted it was just starting to get cold... today it is cold enough to snow!  I think we are expecting maybe 2-3" before it's over.  Some of you might have guessed by now that I am a lover of warm weather  - this cold weather is pushing me into my hibernation mode.  Hopefully while retreating into the warmth of my home, I will get back into my creative frame of mind.

I've been trying to get caught up on a few projects.  Here is a sneak peek of my CQJP 2012 October Block - almost done!  Two more blocks to go - been working on 3 at a time to get through 2012.  If you haven't signed up for CQJP 2013, please do as it will certainly challenge you.  Just click on the button for CQJP 2013 on the right side of my sidebar to register.

With the Christmas just around the corner I have been busy dyeing up tons of pretty new laces.  I recently uploaded quite a few in my shop RavioleeDreams  and will continue to do so over the next couple of weeks.  If there is a particular theme/color combination you are interested in please let me know.   As a thank you to everyone who reads my blog, I would like to offer you Free Shipping on any orders you place through December 15th.  All you have to do:  When you are checking out simply write in the "note" section that you are a Raviolee Dream Follower and I will reimburse your shipping costs.

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Completed another snowball - this one is for Kristie.  She had mentioned she liked the colors blue and orange so I did my best with this little bird to accommodate her wishes. 

Snowball for Kristie

My requests for snowballs was "Under the Sea" theme.  Kristie made this beauty for me.  Love the shark & jellyfish!  Thank you Kristie!


Made by Kristie for Nicki


I have been asked so many times "How did you ever get involved with Crazy Quilting?"  "When did you start embroidering?"   I know I've been picking up the needle and thread for a long long time - as early as my Brownie and Girl Scout days but it wasn't until I started cleaning out an old closet full of clothes that I remembered working on my very first pair of bluejeans. 

How many of you remember "Landlubber Bluejeans?"  If you are from the early 70's then you know they were a must to your wardrobe!  I remember collecting old bluejeans from my friends and cutting them up into squares.  I made a huge piece of patchwork fabric and then cut out something that resembled a skirt.  Trust me when I say this skirt was short!  I'm thinking it was probably the size equivalent to a 6 and was only about 14" long - yes... there was a time I wore my skirts that short!  After putting the skirt together I pulled out some Coats and Clark embroidery threads and just started free hand stitching.  Of course I had to have flowers and my zodiac sign - Cancer/crab/69.    If you take a real hard look you can almost tell what year this was just by what I had embroidered - ahhhh those hippie years!  I'm pretty sure it was 1970 - the year I graduated from High School. 

 

 

My first pair of Landlubber bluejeans - Can you tell they were worn just about everyday!  

 

 

I won't both showing the backside as theres' just about nothing left.  Why I have held on to these I'm not sure..... maybe I thought I could get back into them one day - NOT!  (OMG! these are at least 42 years old - do they (I) qualify as vintage?)

 

Happy Stitching!!

 



Snowballs are flying & PT / Couch to 5k

Want to see something fabulous and something so me?  It was snowball time at my house the other day!  Yea, I know, it's not quite that time yet and since I'm basically a summer person I usually don't get too excited about "snow" - this time I did!

This is a different kind of snowball.  I signed up for a Snowball exchange swap on CQI.  My very first snowball was made by Rita who is from Kansas.  Rita and I have been in a few CQ swaps together and when she said she would swap with me I was thrilled as I love her work.  We all signed up with  the color, theme and style of snowball we wanted.  Now mind you, all of this CQing is to fit in a 4.5" circle or hexagon!  I of course, went with UTS (under the sea) and anything to do with mermaids.  Is this not the most incredible snowball!



Under the Sea Mermaid Snowball
made for me by Rita

Check out the beautiful stitching for the hair and body!

Saturday I mailed and finished Rita's snowball so I'm thinking it might be sitting in her mailbox by now.  Rita had asked for roses and dragonflies in a hexagon shape.   I found this cute little girl and decided she would look cute walking through a garden of roses. 

Today I had my first PT session.  Therapist bent, pulled and measured my shoulder and arm and determined that my range of motion was far better than expected.  Yea me - I guess it pays to do the mandatory exercises after surgery!  I walked out of the clinic with my PT schedule for the next 2+ months.  Not thrilled with the idea of  3 times a week but if it means I'll be back in my kayak fishing in the spring - I'm all for it!

For those of your who mentioned they would like to start on the Couchto5k  program with me.  I have to put it off a little bit longer.  I tried to start the program by walking/jogging on Monday but 15 minutes into it my shoulder felt like I had a concrete brick tied to it.  I mentioned it to my PT Therapist and she said it was too early after surgery to be shaking up my body like that and that I need time to heal a bit more.  Hopefully I can get started in October so if anyone is serious about joining me, let me know and we can chit chat about our daily/weekly progress.