I have made these little birthday/anniversary reminder books a number of times since I designed them at least 15 years ago.

They are made from a single sheet of letter-sized paper which has been printed with date blanks for every day of the year (one month per page). The sheet is scored then cut in a continuous concertine and glued inside hard covers that have been covered in decorative papers.

A strip of contrasting paper is glued on the spine.

Each of the dates has a line where you can add a name and the year of birth or anniversary so it becomes a perpetual reminder. (Yes, you do have to do math to figure out how old they are or how long married).

I write mine in pencil in case something changes :(

I made 20 of these to sell for $1.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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My next project for the craft fair was making paper beads. As usual I cut out WAY too many and got tired of rolling them up after 5 sets.

I cut triangles out of marbled scrapbook paper.. Triangles are 3/4 to 1 inch wide at the base and is 12 inches long. Starting at the wide base they are rolled up on a round toothpick and the end is glued down.

Each bead is sealed with nail polish topcoat. Then I chose coordinating beads from my random collection and strung them into necklaces from 27 to 32 inches long. They have screw closures.

A couple of the necklaces are made from beads I had left over from the last time I made some.

I have a total of 7 which I have priced at $6.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Next up in my craft fair creations was something I've had on my list for YEARS. A friend had made some to give each of the attendees of a small papercrafts group meetup and I've always wanted to make some, too.

These consist of a length of narrow ribbon with tiny clothespins glued to the ends. The ribbon is placed around the back of the neck and a napkin clipped to the ends to create an instant bib.

They don't take up a lot of room so can be carried for use in  restaurant or for eating in the car.

I had a little jar of clothespins on hand and I sorted them into matching pairs and coordinated the ribbon with each set.

I made 17 of these priced at $1:

A copy of the little instruction sheet shown in the display is also tucked into the back of each bag.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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I've been invited to be a vendor at a very small craft fair on the 14th. I said 'yes' and then started thinking about what I could offer.

I had recently become intrigued with some bookmarks that clip on with a hidden 2" paperclip and feature a tab that extends off the page.

In my exuberation I had cut out LOTS of the bases so I set to decorating them with collage, stickers, rounded corner punches, distress inks and word stickers. I worked to create 'sets' of 3 to 4 coordinated clips.

I ended up with 42 SETS which I priced at $4.

Here is the full collection:

And a closer look at a few of the designs:

More crafts to come.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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I needed a project to work on at the last session of quilt group before our summer break and had just finished up with the Next Step quilt. So I started this three-yard quilt using a kit I had already cut out. I got all of the center done and just had to attach the borders at home.

This weekend I threw it on the longarm, trimmed and attached the binding. Just a few hours work from start to finish.

The roses look like Floribundas to me so that became the name for the quilt.

The quilt group will meet once more in June where we will have a potluck and donate our lap quilts to the Passages program for the hospital. I have 10 in this batch of donations - all created since the donation meeting in December.

I have 18 more quilt kits cut out, too.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 10:17 PM PDT

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Today's project is one that I have been taking my time with so posting seems like there was a huge gap. I promise I was working!

The pattern for this quilt was a lap quilt from Timeless Treasures. It came with a pack of batiks in 6" width-of-fabric strips. I wanted to make it much larger so I mixed in batiks from a fat quarter pack and a bit of yardage(s). The further extension was in making a piano-key border from a neutral layer cake stack and strips from a jelly roll.

The top border is two jelly roll strips and the binding is from yardage I used in the blocks.

This is the first time I have attached binding while the quilt was on the longarm. Although it was fairly easy to do this I probably won't do it again for three reasons: 1) it didn't save any time 2) the results are not any better than using the domestic machine 3) I don't mind binding on my domestic and attach it all on machine anyway (no hand sewing).

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Moving on from the 3-yard quilts, I made this based on a YouTube video tutorial by Jordan Fabrics. The pattern Donna presented was called Pebble Path by Cozy Quilt Designs.

She started with a layer cake of Asian fabrics and some background fabric. My fabrics came from a 'sampler bundle' with various sizes of cuts. This sampler was bound together and used by fabric representatives to let store owners flip through and decide which they wanted to order for their inventory. I bought it at a yardsale from a former fabric representative.

I did have to fill in with a couple of prints from a charm pack that had a similar vibe.

In this layout you get a chain of large squares diagonally in one direction and small squares filling in every other row.

I chose the quilting pattern that reminded me of lotus blossom.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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The title for this quilt is a play on the book title "Rose in Bloom'. Corny?

The pattern for this quilt is Corner Play from the book 3-Yard Quilts In a Jiffy (Fabric Cafe).

As soon as I saw this fabric on the shelf I knew I had to have it. I know there are not any real roses in this color but it is so striking that you almost forget that.

The darker of the two background blues is the same dot as used in the Under the Sea quilt recently posted.

This big floral has a fine metallic finish in outlining on the blooms.

I used a lavender thread for the quilting since that color was not represented in the supporting fabrics. Quiltingis with a pantograph called Maidenfern.

For the back, I found this stunning piece with all of the colors and even the metallic.

What a beauty, right?

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Combining the content of the feature fabric (floral) with the name of the pattern (Time Machine) gave me the name for this quilt (Floral Time). The 'time' in the pattern name refers to the hourglass block set in every other space.

This was some 'bought on purpose' fabric for this pattern from the book Easy Does It 3-Yard Quilts (Fabric Cafe).

I absolutely love this floral print. And the black background makes it really stand out from the other blocks.

This was quilted with the trailing leaves pantograph in a soft cream thread.

Using the floral for the binding really finishes it with a punch.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 3:03 PM PDT

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A set of gift cards I got at Christmas magically became sets of fabrics for 3-yard quilts. Just one yard of three different fabrics makes one of these lap quilts.

Today I have for you a quilt from the pattern Garden Path in the book Fast and Fun 3-Yard Quilts.

The charming feature print has wonderful fruits and signs advertising flowers, lemons and pears.

I pulled out teal and taupe for the supporting fabrics.

This is quilted in cream thread with a pattern of trailing leaves.

I am so blessed to have a longarm quilting machine. I have no robotics on it so everything is done with either custom work or rolls of pantograph.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Today I am offering up another pair of quilts that use the same pattern. In addition, both are made using fabrics from my sister's stash that was left to me.

The pattern is  a churndash block called Modern Charm from the book Quick As A Wink 3 Yard Quilts (Fabric Cafe). 

The first quilt is Dashing Florals:

The print repeat was large enough to get the full bouquet on every one of the feature blocks. The supporting fabrics were selected due to their colors being a match to those in the feature fabric.

Here are the supporting fabrics and a look at the quilting pattern - more of those interlocking swirls.

The second quilt is called A Dash Of Paisley.

This was a blatant attempt to 'get rid of' the paisley fabric. I am not a big fan of paisley, but it sometimes finds its way into the stash anyway.

I wish I could say it looks better in person but.....

Here is a closeup of the print.

And the quilting is, again, those big interlocking swirls.

At least that is the last of this paisley print.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Back at it with the quilting. I finished up 9 on the same day but I am doling them out here one or two a day.

The quilt today I called Under the Sea because of the fabric choice. It uses a pattern called Broad Strokes from the book 3-Yard Quilts On The Double.

I think it looks like a giant aquarium.

Here's a better view of the focus fabric. You can see how the green and blue of the supporting fabrics are pulled directly from the feature print.

I quilted with the giant interlocking swirls because they looked like crashing waves. Stitching is in green and the backing is a marbled print that the green looks perfect on as well.

What fun, right?

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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I have been loving the 3-yard quilt books from Fabric Cafe. First I was borrowing them from a friend but I asked for (and got) the entire set for Christmas. I have since added the newest title, too. I haven't gotten any of their fat-quarter books though.

When I have more than one set of fabrics that are using the same pattern I do all of the cutting at once and piece the tops in tandem. That way I only have to figure out the pattern steps once!

These two quilts are from the pattern - Topiary - in the book Magic of 3-Yard Quilts.

This first is with three coordinating fabrics I picked up in Juneau Alaska. I liked the look of the florals all being done in beadwork.

The pink and blue background fabrics are standard print but the gold has a metallic shimmer to it.

The quilting pattern is a large feather pantograph called Maidenfern. I stitched in blue thread as the backing is blue and the top and bottom threads could match.

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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My second box in Cartonnage was a redesign of one from Colorway Arts. They have instructions for one that opens from the side and has a little open tray set into the bottom of one side. On the upper walls they attach holders for notions like little scissors, needles, pins and such.

I wanted to have room for more trays so I redesigned to be taller and staggered the mounting of the trays inside.

I used four fabrics on this project.

Here is the closed box with the lid on top.

With the lid removed. I centered the fabric design on the lid.

With the box opened. The trays are glued in on two sides for stability so the box does not open any farther than this.The lid can be used as an additional tray when the box is open.

Here you can see down into the trays.

When the box is closed the trays interleave but do not rest upon one another. The lid is what keeps it all from unfolding.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Through all these other fun projects I have still been quilting.

My niece cut fabrics from her mother's stash and sent them to me for assembly. I initially set them straight but it was boring. So I used the method of cutting a 45 degree corner off and attaching it to the other end, then repeating that in the other direction and moving the cut piece to the other side.

The result of this manouver is that it sets the whole thing on point. I just added a double border with yardage that was included.

I made it queen sized with additional length to provide a turn-over for the pillows.

With the random mix of fabrics, I named this quilt 'Higgledy-Piggledy' (and, yes, I did have to look up how to spell it!)

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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Offer me a free class/workshop and I will happily take on a new hobby!

I took a one week workshop from Colorway Arts and jumped headfirst into Cartonnage - the art of making fabric-covered boxes from scratch. There are different ways of doing this and we learned the Brazillian methods.

In this process you cover the chipboard pieces first and then construct the box. There were choices for the type of box to construct and I chose to do the "Box on a box".

I selected a fabric with spools and a coordinating fabric with a floral lattice.

We were supposed to attach a knob to the top but I didn't have one. From my sewing room I snagged an old spool of thread from a display and added a button with a shank to the top. A piece of fine wire holds the button into the hole in the spool and anchors it all through the top piece of cardboard. (It is all glued in place along with the wire.)

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PDT

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I took another online class from Art-Classes.com - Watercolor Pencil Jumpstart. Having taken the colored pencil class and the watercolor class a lot of the material was cross-over but the watercolor pencils had some unique characteristics that were fun to play with.

These are my homework sheets:

When we were done we used our favorite technique to create a cover and bound all the lessons into a book.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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One advantage to taking these online art classes is that I learn new techniques for a variety of mediums that I can call upon to use in my daily activities.

I recently called upon the wash and ink class homework I did of the hydrangea in watercolor but used it with watercolor markers in my devotional book.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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When I added too much detail with the inking on one of the postcard series I chose to repaint it for the set.

So I had a leftover painting and turned this version into a card.

It doesn't look too bad on its own but it was way too busy to fit in with the other finished pieces.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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Last fall I started a mini-class with Art-Classes.com on using watercolor markers (I used Tombow) and ink to create travel sketches. In the class the projects were all National Parks but I didn't want to do the same.

I did a lot of research to come up with views of my favorite places locally and titled the project "Postcards From Oregon".

All of the pieces of Arches Cold-Pressed Watercolor paper were cut to the size of a postcard before I began.

I started this project in October 2022 and completed the last of 16 paintings today - 4 months later.

Here they are in order of completion.

Columbia River Gorge

Crater Lake National Park

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

Portland Japanese Garden

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse

Mt Hood

Multnomah Falls

Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach

Painted Hills

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

International Rose Test Garden

Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm

Vinyards of the Willamette Valley

Silver Falls State Park

Hood River Valley Fruit Loop

Wallowa Lake

Whew! What a ride.

I used 12 of these images to create custom calendars for family members before the series was complete.

Ddd

Posted by studio3d@ccgmail.net at 12:01 AM PST

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