What I'm Working On

Hi, Primmies:

I thought I'd take some pictures and share with you. I'm crazy now about the camera. It's an old one but it seems to be doing fine. There isn't a card with it but it's o.k., I just upload to the big computer and send to my email and I can post from my lap book or here. I'm at the desktop because I'm sleepy and this is easier to do photos from.

 
Is everyone tired of seeing snow pictures? Biggie's new thing is watching the snowflakes. Can you say "Awwwwhh"?
I must say that staining and grunging this rabbit was the most wonderful scented project I've done in a long time. I put all the good spicesI had into this almost 2 months old coffee mixture. I took it from the fridge and cooked it in the microwave:

 

 I'm doing the rabbit a little bit differently from the pattern instructions. What I'm holding open is the seam of an arm, oops, leg and I'm brushing in there good:

 Here's a picture of the homespun for her dress. Does a certain sampler maker recognize this? I almost fell over (I do that a lot)
when I found this in the craft room. I have YARDS of it. I must have intended to make curtains from it, for the kitchen where we last lived. I don't know, I don't know what I did yesterday:

 The pattern maker used strawberry print fabric and I thought this looked cute and similar in a way to her fabric. I know you're thinking, "Susan, strawberries and hearts are not similar", but I thought for what I had, it was darn close.


Now this part YOU might fall over. I found a couple of yards of
this very antique linen. I'm not sure what count you would call it but I know it's up there because it's harder to see than the 32ct.
I'm working on. As a treat to you guys whom I adore, I'm doing this rabbit for the giveaway after the sampler, and I'm using the linen for her undies. And I'm making an apron for her, there isn't one on the designer's rabbit but they are simple enough to do.
Here's the gorgeous linen that was in my fabric stash:

Well prims, I'm pooped. I'm going to watch a movie with
Mr. Glen Oaks and stitch. He's seeing a surgeon next week for a consultation on his hand surgery. He wants to get it over with so he can do what he loves to do, woodworking.


Hugs,
Susan


written Sat. March 3 at 12:29 a.m.

I Do Like Them Dirty

Hi, Primmies:


On Wednesday I did a post about a wish list I had started. I listed some patterns from Victoria of Kentucky Primitives. Well, in the
post I made a comment about how I like Primitives and of course
my blog has primitives in it's title, but I said how some of them I
didn't make because they looked a bit on the 'dirty' side. WELL,
I take that back!! And this is one of the reasons why:

Photo copyright Create & Decorate All American Crafts Inc.

~Upate: I  found the link for Kim Grasso's patterns. Click
Kim's Whims ~
Can you stand it? Isn't she ADORABLE? Her name is
"Miss Peabody" and she is designed by Kim Grasso. The
pattern and directions are in the March/April 2012 issue
of Create & Decorate. And she's a huge bunny. I don't know
exactly how big of a bunny she is but she's at least two feet
and maybe 8-9 inches, so she's close to one yard in length!
Now here's the fun part and what changed my mind about
being 'dirty'. Kim supplied some grunging instructions to
go along with the finish of Ms. Peabody and there are two
methods that she gives. Now I know everyone that does
extreme prims probably knows about the recipe(s) but I did
not know about this one ingredient: molasses! I had heard
about the coffee and spices and vanilla, and even brown
craft paint to make a nice deep stain, but molasses was
news to me. I think that this rabbit is going to be the sweetest
smelling prim I've ever made. Here is Kim Grasso's method
for grunge:
" add two tablespoons of instant coffee to every two cups
of boiling water in Mason jar; if desired, add 1/4 cup of
vanilla, 1/4 cup of molasses and a tablespoon each of ground
cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or cloves. Shake to mix and set aside".
Also, if using a spray bottle to apply she says to only use if
you aren't adding ground spices because they will clog your
spray nozzle. In that case paint the mixture on the rabbit,
undies and dress. Some of you like to paint the grunge on 
anyway as opposed to spraying on. 
So now you know why I changed my mind about dirty, grunge-y
prims. I'm apt to change my mind a lot, so don't mind me!


If you don't have this month's issue of Create & Decorate, it's also got some really nice folk art painting projects, more sew-
ing projects and punch needle, rug hooking a sampler and also
mixed medium projects. There are free projects included on the
website so don't forget to check if you aren't buying the
magazine. Here's the link again: Create & Decorate.


Ms. Peabody will be my next giveaway item after the sampler
I'm working on. Speaking of, I'm coming along with the sampler nicely, I'm starting the dividing band after her name 'Polly
Daggett' and there's the bottom urns and the rest of the borders.
I'm having a harder time with the borders than anything else,
so I'm leaving them for the end. They were supposed to be done
first but I was making too many mistakes! (like Polly)


Hugs to all my Primmies,


Susan