stephanie

Have you seen this?  I guess I am slow on the up take!  Stephanie is back!

marie antoinette

Here is a little peak for you of a new Glitter and Grunge ad that is coming out!  This is for an upcoming special publication called Marie, which is being put together by Stampington and Co.



This issue is all about the sweet, colorful, beautiful creations inspired by the many books and movies portraying Marie Antoinette's life. This is sure to be one of their most popular special publications and I am so excited to be a part of it with some other of the Glitter and Grunge girls.  Here are the other fabulous three for you to check out :  Whim & Fancy Designs, Jen Osborne, and Moondog Cottage.

Marie should be out in about a month.  I'm sure it will be at Michael's and Jo Ann's.  I will be hunting down my own copy and will let you know where I found it!

getting ready

I am busy getting ready for the monthly Indie Sacramento event.  And February 7th is coming up soon for me!  I went by my local paper shop over the weekend and fell in love with all of the Valentine papers.  It didn't help that I had my girl with me, who wanted me to buy everything that was pink and glittery!  Of course I spent too much.  My paper stash is growing!  I do save every little piece.  And it felt so good to use my new crafty scissors!



I made a new katie jean banner for my craft fair table.  I don't think this will be the last one of these that I make!  I want to add my paper doll girl on here some how too.



I am also making some little girl skirts.  I'm thinking spring here, Easter.  Which isn't so hard lately with 65 plus degrees days here in N. Cal.  I also hope to get some fun pants made for little boys.  And a lot of onesies for baby!



This really is a fun day.  And there are so many talented crafters.  I hope you'll come and do some of your shopping for all of the lover's on your list!  See you there!

book talk

This for all of you rockers who love to read!  My brother-in-law has his first published work entitled "Getting in Tune", and will be speaking this Tuesday, January 20th, at the Lincoln Twelve Bridges Library.





Here is the email invitation that I received from him.  I hope some of you will be able to make it!

I wanted to let you know that I'm the featured speaker at the Friends of the Lincoln Library "Book Talk" program next week. This is a free program that's open to the public. I'll be talking about the background of my novel, Getting in Tune, the process of writing the novel, and whatever else happens to pass through my mind. I'll also be taking questions, so this is a great opportunity for you to bring up any embarrassing questions that you've longed to ask, like, "Did you really play a cover version of 'Feelings'?" Given the afternoon time of this event, I realize many of you won't be able to make it, but please stop by if you can and/or forward this message on to someone who might be interested.

Signed copies of my book will be available for purchase. Here are the details: Tuesday, January 20, 1:30-2:30 PM"Book Talk": Getting in Tune, Lincoln Public Library-Twelve Bridges Willow Room485 Twelve Bridges DriveLincoln, CA Thanks! Roger

the past

I was just looking through some old photos this morning for a possible magazine ad.  It also gets me going!  Seeing some things that I have made and sold.  These are some good sewing memories!  I thought I would share some of them with you again :)

[caption id="attachment_757" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="hanky dress with a little purple tulle underskirt"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_759" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="made using a vintage tablecloth"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_760" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="items already for an open house party"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_762" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="little dream doll bed"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_765" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="french inspired crafty candles"][/caption]

ella

Do you remember this elephant?  I originally made it as part of the Pillowcase Challenge.  It is made using just one vintage pillowcase.  I love these colors together.



My hubs, Jeff, grandmother made a smaller stuffed elephant for one of his brother's or sister's long ago.  I have it now in my girl's room among her other toys.  I just photocopied the original toy and enlarged it to a size that I liked.   I really like how the ears are done.  They have a little bit of stuffing in them too.  I think its a cute touch.



Since it was so sunny today (after being freezing cold yesterday) I set up my photography studio.  You know, the one that I told you about... my ironing board set up in the hallway and covered with a pink chenille blanket.  And I took some new photos of my ella.  She is now on my etsy shop!

grant thanks

First of all, thank you!  Your response to Grant's Gift has been so great :)  I was wondering if me mentioning my own miscarriages would be off putting to some of you.  But I remembered that in the midst of those awful years I always found more women who had so many of the same experiences and each was still so different.

Pregnancy is often difficult for so many of us, and of course I always thought it would be smooth sailing.  There were so many tears.  So many years wasted.

Now, I know those weren't wasted years.  I grew a lot.  My vows of for better and for worse, now I understand those.   I learned a lot of things about life that I did not want to.   When we face hard times, now  I know we can handle it.  Nothing could be worse than what we faced together so early on.

So thank you for helping this special family.

grant's gift

Grant's Gift was established in loving memory of Grant Kelton Wheeler. It supplies blankets to hospitals specifically to be used in situations of stillbirth or infant death. The goal of Grant's Gift is to provide parents with a tangible item to remember their child by. In addition to blanket collection, Grant's Gift will ultimately become a Web-based resource for parents and families dealing with the loss of a child due to stillbirth.

Grant's Gift will be accepting donations of blankets through  Feb. 4th, and their goal is to accept 100 receiving blankets by that date.   I will be donating three blankets in memory of my own three babies, that I lost due to miscarriages.

If you would also like to participate, you can send a blanket to me by Feb. 1st, and I will get it to Grant's Gift for you.  For more info please look at their site, Grant's Gift.

new photos

Yesterday was a beutiful clear day here.  And my upstairs landing has some great windows to let a lot of sun in.  So, while two of my boys were skiing the day away at the snow, I was able to take some pictures.  I just put up my ironing board and laid out my pink vintage chenille bedspread and went to work.  I also added my girl's very vintage chair.  I just love it!

So, here are the photos that I took for my Glitter and grunge update for January.  Tomorrow might be raining, so I think I should get to work and take advantage of all of this natural light.

This is a close up photo of my farm pillow.  This one is all hand stitched and designed by me.  This was fun to make, and I just didn't want to stop adding on all of these little details.

farm pillow

made using a vintage hanky

made using vintage linens

Check it all out at Glitter and Grunge.  Thanks for looking!

get out

This great shopping event is today!  Over 30 vendors will be there, together with swag (some good free stuff) hot cocoa and coffee.  It is a beautiful sunny day in Sacramento, so you really should get out!

And for February, a new location!  This one looks like fun too!  I hope to see you there :)

for mary

My sister is a quilter, and she is always working on something.  I love her passion for fabrics and sewing.  And she is always full of the 411 on anything that I need to know.

At Christmas she sent me a quilt that she finished off for me.  I did the top part over six years ago, not a super great job, but I got it finished.  And she took it home with her during her last visit to Cali and added the batting, backing, and even hand finished the binding.  Is that great or what?

It has been on my couch since Christmas.  Giving our family room a little bit of extra coziness and a great bit of charm.  I have really enjoyed seeing it every day.

Since I talked to my sis today, sending our Happy New Year's, I told my girl that her Auntie Mary sends her love.  Of course she wanted to go to bed with the quilt that Auntie Mary made, for her!  It's a little big still for her toddler bed, but is perfect folded up in half.  Now she is asleep and cozy with some extra charm.

Well, I didn't take a picture of her under this new quilt.  But I was looking through my old photos tonight and saw another one of my girl.  She is all cozy under another very special quilt that Auntie Mary made just for her.



This was taken two years ago.  I love looking at this quilt and picking out my favorite strips of fabric.  I never get tired of looking at it.  I told you she was talented!!  Thank you Mary, I love you!