Twas the night before Christmas

 and all through the house............

Here is a page I did today in my creative journal.  

I did some cooking today for tonight and also for tomorrow morning breakfast.

Every year I make cinnamon rolls at this time of year and use a treasured recipe from a dear friend.

It is a recipe from the 60s and is called Ice Box Rolls.  You make them ahead and refrigerate the dough for 1 to 5 days.  Here is a photo I took yesterday when I made the roll mix.

And here they are out of the oven an hour ago.  We prefer them not frosted.

The sausage souffle is in the refrigerator ready for the oven in the morning.

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone....

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Slow Sunday Stitching on the patio

 I put this image on this blog post at the beginning of October and did not finish it and send it!  AND now it is the last day of October today!!  Where did the last  month (last two months) go???

This afternoon I was enjoying some slow stitching  outside on this gorgeous day....77 and perfect!  I am getting to the end of stitching on my kawandi like runner.  It is very enjoyable....I have no pressure on myself to complete it (although it is almost finished).  I am enjoying the process and I am not at all  worried if my stitches are straight or if they are the same length.  I try for straightish lines and embrace being perfectly imperfect!  Here is a small section where I am stitching.

Catching up with September..........we had our 60th wedding anniversary.  Here  are photos of a journal page and several photos of us in the car on our way for a drive to the mountains.

I am linking to Kathy's Quilts         https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2021/10/slow-sunday-stitching_0864130145.html    Let's go check and see what everyone is stitching.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

31 day August challenge

A new month.........time to renew/change/evaluate...

I have decided not to continue with the weekly goals on this blog and not post every Tuesday to the linky party.  I have done 69 weeks of posting goals....and before that I used to try to finish by Friday for the linky party.  It was a great motivator for me for a lot of years.....but now I want to do something different.  

Note for those who read my last post.....Yesterday I did an update on my last blog post and added a photo of the two fabrics I used for the crazy mini quilt.  I am sure most everyone was wondering how did I come up with that quilt!!.  

I really enjoyed posting on IG every day in August for the challenge by Joanne Sharpe  in her online class to make some kind of creative play artwork every day.  I usually made the decision each day what creative project I would do and many days I did several projects and decided which one to take a photo and post to IG.

Yesterday for the last day of August I worked on three projects that I had started earlier in the month.  Two of them were doodle painting and using pens....one using twinkling H2Os. The other project was using the sheet of faux oil cloth and cut it into different size pieces and sew then on painted papers.  These were ideas from Joanne Sharpe classes over the past few years.  Here is the photo from yesterday.  My IG is carylquilts if you want to see all 31 days of projects.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Crazy mini quilt and To-Do Tuesday #69

 

Goals from this past week 

• something creative every day to post to IG and also to my FB creative happenings workshop group✅
• make a fall mini quilt to hang on my vintage wall shelf✅

I have posted every day following the challenge by Joanne Sharpe online class to make some kind of creative play artwork every day.  I am posting to my carylquilts IG with  #mojowithjojo.  

I am only showing 3 of the projects in this blog post that I posted on IG and in my FB group.  I could post to my FB cinnamon holiday workshop blog group also (in addition to the FB creative happenings workshop group) if anyone is interested.

I have been wanting to make another Three Crazy Sisters quilt.  The pattern is by Joe Cunningham on Craftsy.  I decided to make the strips smaller so the blocks would be smaller and only make 6 blocks.  I saw two fabrics in my stash I had received from a quild prize many years ago....yep...that is what I want to try.  AND whoa.....it turned out really crazy!!!  But I love it!!

Here is the finished mini quilt and the back.  It is reversible so I can change it this fall.  The fabric on the back is printed offline so I will use my paints and fix it.

I did straight quilting on the front with just the batting first and varied the space between lines.  Here is the front and back photos.before I trimmed off the edge of the batting.

Here is a photo of it now on my vintage wall shelf.

Update with a photo of the two fabrics I used to make the crazy mini quilt.  It will certainly explain why it has a very different look!

This week I also did some FMQ words and images on muslin.  The next photo shows some different things I did on the muslin.and I might use some of it on a journal page or journal tag.

The next photo is a start of a project from a Craftsy class by Heather Thomas.  FMQ inside of circles and then paint.  I should have used a white muslin for this....BUT this pink fabric was all ready for FMQ practice! 

I also did some doodling on watercolor pages and I posted on IG something every day.

AND here are goals for next week:

• do something creative every day to post on IG with hashtag mojowithjojo  and also post in my FB creative happenings workshop group
• finish the Circle project with FMQ and paint

I am linking to To-Do Tuesday at   Chris Knits

Come join in the fun

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

To-Do Tuesday #68

 

 To-Do Tuesday #68 

Goals from this past week 

• I will do something creative every day to post to IG and also to my FB creative happenings workshop group.✅
• Finish fabric collage on book page hand stitching✅
• Work on a sewing project✅
• List on my blog the you Tube channels subscriptions since the last time I gave a list✅

I have posted every day following the challenge by Joanne Sharpe online class to make some kind of creative play artwork every day.  I am posting to my carylquilts IG with  #mojowithjojo.  

I am only showing 2 of the projects in this blog post that I posted on IG and in my FB group.  I could post to my FB cinnamon holiday workshop blog group also (in addition to the FB creative happenings workshop group) if anyone is interested.

I made a Halloween mug rug/placemat measuring 14½ x 9"  It was a very quick project to make.  My favorite.....making small improv quilt projects.  Here are photos front and back

I finished the fabric collage from last week....hand stitching and then glued it to a 4x6 index card with FabriTac and then trimmed.  Here is the finish

Some of the YOU-TUBE channels I have discovered since my first list on April 13, 2021:

Paper Terrace

Wendy's Journal Adventure

joie de fi

Amber K Creative

49 dragonflies:

There are a lot of quilting channels that I have followed for years and I have not listed any of them on my blog in a list.  Most everyone has already heard of them.  I do refer to them at times and try to remember to add the label on my blog.

AND here are some goals for next week:

• something creative every day to post to IG and also to my FB creative happenings workshop group
• make a fall mini quilt to hang on my vintage wall shelf

I am linking to To-Do Tuesday at  Chris Knits

Come join in the fun

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Peltex fabric journal cover tutorial and To-Do Tuesday #67

 To-Do Tuesday #67 and I completed my goals for the past week which were: 

to continue with creative something every day and post on IG.  I plan to turn on my sewing machine and do some sewing/quilting. 

I have posted every day following the challenge by Joanne Sharpe online class to make some kind of creative play artwork every day.  I am posting to my carylquilts IG with  #mojowithjojo.  

Here is a journal cover I made of collaged fabrics on Peltex 72f two sided fusible.

  

 I have an elastic on the spine to hold the papers inside and a fabric tie to hold it together.  This is probably a temporary way to do this journal  and the next photo is the inside fabric with clocks.  I used the same fabric torn ½" for the tie.

And the cover front and back laid open

The next photo is the inside of the journal with the elastic on the center.  I did some doodle flowers practice and will be adding to the journal page

One of the days this past week I made some fabric snippet rolls.  I cut up one of them and added to the journal cover

The way I did the journal was cut the Peltex 10 x 9 and added pieces of fabric to the top.  I followed the method of stitches by julie.  You lay the fabric beyond the Peltex ½" and use parchment paper to press the fabric onto the Peltex with an iron..  I used some of the charm pieces from June Sew Sampler.  The fabric is The Seamstress by Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts.  Also some Tula Pink and Tim Holtz and purple ribbon and coffee dyed lace.  The saying was stamped on coffee dyed muslin.  

The lining is cut the same size as the top fabric and right sides together stitch close to the Peltex with a zipper foot.  I left a 6" opening and trimmed the corners and turned it to the right side.  Then I trimmed to 1/4 " all around except at the opening.  It is easy to press the opening closed to the Peltex and press the back flat.  Then topstitch close to the edge.  I used my BSR2  set on the zigzag and FMQ on the top next to the raw edges.  Straight stitch around the flowers and leaves.  

It was fun getting back to using my sewing machine.  AND it had been awhile since I did FMQ and I forgot the slider under the fabric.  I was wondering why it wasn't moving very well!  Now this was a very fun project.  

For this next week 

• I will do something creative every day to post to IG and also to my FB creative happenings workshop group.
• Finish fabric collage on book page hand stitching
• Work on a sewing project
• List on my blog the you Tube channels subscriptions since the last time I gave a list

I am linking to To-Do Tuesday at   Chris Knits

Come join in the fun

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

To-Do Tuesday #66

  To-Do Tuesday #66 and I have been doing more organizing of my supplies.  I have also sent a lot of kits and supplies to Salvation Army...those crafts that were started many years ago.  

A list of those things I organized in the past several weeks that I didn't mention in my last post.

Clear and cling stamps to plastic sleeves in a large notebook

Stencils all in a plastic shelf container 

Eyelets all together in a plastic shelf container 

Paper punches in a pull out drawer 

Washi tape in a basket 

Here is a photo of some little round wood pieces that Dave made for me and I am gluing them to my round ink pads that I use for distress ink.  AND in the photo are two index cards folded and decorated to put in pockets in a journal.

The next photo shows my new storage system for papers for paper crafting including coffee dyed papers and cardstock pieces.  The larger one for large pieces and the smaller one for small pieces.  The basket is a lot better for washi tape than in a box with a lid that I had to get off of a shelf. 

I am also using the different size Amazon envolopes for storing magazine images and words.  For now that is the system instead of boxes of stuff to go through.  

So my goals this past week were done with the organizing and paper crafting.  But I did not do any sewing machine projects at all.  

In my Joanne Sharpe online class she started a challenge to make some kind of creative play artwork every day.  I have been neglecting this class and I felt a "tug" to join in and follow along.  So I am posting to IG with  #mojowithjojo.  

This is what I have posted to IG this month.  I didn't have any ideas and just picked up the brush and paints and started.  The first one I was going for a whimsical bird and added stamps and doodles. For the next one I used some of my favorite colors of paint and then did some doodling with a quote.  The third one is a page from our class last year and I added some more circles and doodles to the page.  Joanne encouraged us to just do something....anything.  Sometimes I am reluctant to post the things I am doing and I am sure that is the case with a lot of people.  

 I will be linking this week to  Melva Loves Scraps

https://melvalovesscraps.blogspot.com/2021/08/tuesday-to-do-linky-party.html?m=1

My goals for this week are to continue with creative something every day and post on IG.  I plan to turn on my sewing machine and do some sewing/quilting.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl.

Peg stamps organized

 I have been organizing my supplies and excited about having things easier to use as I do crafting in different parts of my house.  I have multiple places in our house where I do different projects.  I am also going through craft supplies and making decisions about those supplies that I will not be using anymore.  This has been an ongoing project over the past several years.   There are some things I have kept saving and saving....Now I just want to do the crafting that I REALLY like and not the ones that I might get to sometime!!

The first photo has many different stories going on....

I put all of my peg stamps together in one box.  I had each group separate in their original box and I didn't get them out and use them very much.  Now I have written on each stamp the group where they belong.  The tag in the photo is one I found in the box already stamped around the edge and I added color to the center and put a flower sticker on it and a ribbon tie.  Another tag for my journals!  

The little plastic piece in the upper right is a piece I use to make random marks on some paper tags and journal pages with distress oxide ink.  The little wood slice is one I made when we lived in Julian.  I engraved and painted and sold a variety of these little wood slices in shops in Julian.  I have various sizes that Dave cut when we lived in the mountains.  I have a bunch left over from then....so I might glue some of my stamps to some of them.

The next photo shows a little box where I store some basic supplies that I can move easily and have available wherever I am doing projects in the house.  Blending brushes, different glues, scissors and rotary cutters I use for paper.

Next is a photo of some of the paper crafts I have been doing.

I stamped and drew on some book pages and painted the images and cut them out to add to journals or tags.  I used liquid pearl dots on some of the tags and some of the projects in the photo are not complete yet.

I will be linking to To-Do Tuesday at         Chris Knits

 and this will be week #65 of posting a to do list 

My goals for the week are more organizing of craft supplies and clear a space on my sewing table so I can put the binding on the log cabin runner.  I will be working on paper crafting and maybe another quilt project.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Tuesday To Do #64

 This is week #64 of posting a to do list and I will be linking to 

Chris Knits

My goals from this last week did not happen!  So I will repeat the same goals this next week. AND here they are:

Tuesday To Do July 13 through July 19:

1. FMQ practice
2. Put binding on the log cabin runner and start hand stitching it to the back
3. Journal cards and tags
4. Painting project

I haven't posted a photo of my log cabin runner for awhile.  Here it is as of now a partial photo of it....I have the quilting done and need to trim the threads from the quilting, trim the edges and put on the binding.

I worked on paper crafts and here are a few photos.  The first two show the nonpareils (sprinkles) I used on some coffee dye paper.  The first one is wet and I let it dry all night and the second one shows the dried sprinkles that I need to scrape off.

The next one is showing the papers I used to make stickers with my sticker maker....and the places I put the stickers on my projects.

3 little round circles together on top of a journal card from a paper with acrylic paint.  AND the butterfly was a punch on a photo of fabric from a magazine.

The next photo is some little notebooks... heart booklets and double pocket booklet.

These projects are in progress and I need to add more to these little booklets.  These are fun...fun....fun!!!

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Mini Ephemera Holder and Tuesday To Do #63

 This is a day late and it is week #63 of posting a to do list and I will be linking to 

Chris Knits

My progress from the goals from last week:

Tuesday To Do June 29 through July 5:

1. Practice FMQ✅
2. Start quilting Hope quilt
3. Finish quilting log cabin runner✅
4. Make journal cards from index cards✅
5. Make a min ephemera holder from paper scraps✅

 I got most of my goals for the week done.  I still need to do quilting practice on my sewing machine before I tackle quilting a quilt.

Photos of what I worked on with paper crafting.  The mini ephemera holder is made with junk mail and collage over it and add papers and pockets...very easy and very fun.  The outside at the fold is a moda strip that is wrapped around fabric when you purchase precuts.  I need to find some little ephemera to add to this holder.

And here are  some index cards I am making.  Not finished yet.  The two on the right are the back with the lines.  I cut 4x6 index cards in half for these.  I used distress ink and collage and stamps.  Some are coffee dyed and color dyed.  

The next photos show my process in paper dyeing.

Very simple....put some coffee with some water into a spray bottle and lay the paper on parchment paper and spray both sides of the paper.  The color is few drops of color mixed with water and use a brush to spread it on the papers.  I cut the index cards smaller after coffee dye and ink dye.  TIP:  Laying the cards on the very used parchment paper and spreading color on them causes some of the coffee dye from the parchment paper to get on the cards and I like that look.

Here is a photo from earlier in the week when I started on these projects.  I first did an index card covered in brown coffee dye paper and put gelato crayons and discovered I needed to use a pen first if I wanted to do a whimsical flower.  

The bottom part shows the separate pieces of the mini ephemera holder as I started working on it.

Just ask if you have any questions about any of this.  I get my ideas from watching You-Tube videos.  

Tuesday To Do July 6 through July 12:

1. FMQ practice
2. Put binding on the log cabin runner and start hand stitching it to the back
3. Journal cards and tags
4. Painting project

I am still working on quilting projects along with paper crafting.  AND I will be posting photos of my quilting and projects.

Be sure to check out what everyone else is working

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Pencil Case Roll and Tuesday To Do #62

 This past week I saw a video on making a pencil case roll using glue.  I decided to make one without using glue and just with sewing.  It was fun and easy to do.  I used the same fabric for the outside as the plastic padded journal cover I showed last week.

I put some of my prismacolor pencils in the case but I plan to add a variety of my different pencils.........but then again I might change my mind! 

My progress from the goals from last week:

Tuesday To Do June 22 through June 28

1. Work on the Hope quilt from 2020....put the batt and backing with the top together and decide how to quilt and hopefully start quilting. ✅
2. Quilt more on the log cabin runner✅
3. Do some improv piecing ✅

I have the Hope quilt ready to quilt but I didn't start quilting because I need to practice first since it has been awhile.  I did walking foot quilting on the log cabin runner and got some improv piecing done.

I am still watching paper crafting videos and getting lot of ideas.  So fun and so addictive!

Tuesday To Do June 29 through July 5:

1. Practice FMQ
2. Start quilting Hope quilt
3. Finish quilting log cabin runner
4. Make journal cards from index cards
5. Make a min ephemera holder from paper scraps

I am linking to Chris Knits

Be sure to check out what everyone else is working on....

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Plastic Padded Envelope Journal Cover

 I have been doing paper crafting and not much quilting over the past month..... And also reorganizing and getting rid of stuff!!  

SOOOO Happy for Our family to get together in person and I am back meeting with my quilt group every week!!   Since February 2020 has been a LONG time!!  BUT I AM SO glad we had Zoom for the past year to keep up with everyone!!

I will put my goals for the week at the end of this post.  This is Tuesday to do #61 and I am linking to Chris Knits 

I am enjoying getting inspiration from online paper project ideas.  

Using a plastic padded envelope I wrapped it in fabric and made a journal cover.  I used some tea and coffee dyed papers inside.  The fourth photo shows a pocket with a little notebook.  I am enjoying making pockets, and journal tags and little notebooks to add to my journal pages. 

 The next three photos are a portfolio made from gluing two greeting cards together and collage over them and adding pockets and papers.

All of these ideas are from Pam at The Paper Outpost.  All of this is a work in progress and is not finished.  The tag tucked in a side pocket on the right on the last photo is made with a paper napkin on a book page glued over junk mail.

Today I went back to my sewing group and now I am all inspired to get back to my sewing....take the needle I use for paper out of the machine......put in a new one and get sewing on fabric!                        

Tuesday To Do June 22 through June 28

1. Work on the Hope quilt from 2020....put the batt and backing with the top together and decide how to quilt and hopefully start quilting.
2. Quilt more on the log cabin runner
3. Do some improv piecing 

Let's check out what everyone else is working on....

Let me know if any of you do paper crafting too.  It is rather addictive for me right now!!!

Smiles and hugs....Caryl