it's new! it's true!

Big announcement everyone!

Yours truly is truly an Etsy Shop Owner!

Check it out...over in my right sidebar! Please visit my October's Child Etsy Shop!

Oh...can you tell...I'm excited!?!

I will be adding more things, so please stay tuned!

making house calls

What a fun day I experienced this past Saturday, during my Trunk Show and Needle Felting Class at the historic Putnam House!



To be honest...these photos were actually taken on Friday, as I had the House to myself to set up my wares.

Both Friday and Saturday were gorgeous Autumn days though...with beautiful sunlight streaming in through the Putnam House windows. I couldn't have asked for more!



My sincere "thanks" to those who stopped in to browse my trunk show. Your feedback was inspiring!



And to Alison and the Foster County Historical Society: "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!"

(Stay tuned for more photos of our Needle Felting Class.)

sweater weather

"Sweater weather." Say that out loud...fast...five times.

Oh come on....

You have to! Please?

See...I knew that you would!



It is definitely sweater weather here in North Dakota...no matter how many times you can say it without getting your tongue tied in a knot. And I love it! Sans the snow!

Oh...but you don't always have to wear a sweater. No no no. How about a sweater handbag?

Now...I have to admit. This may not be your everyday-sort-of run-of-the-mill handbag. Maybe you'll just save your sweater handbag for certain occasions.

Like going shopping...when you only need your wallet...perhaps a cellular phone...maybe some lip balm. Oh...and a little bundle of tissues. It is tissue weather, as well!



I created this sweater handbag from a wool sweater that I purchased from one of my favorite second hand stores.

***Ooh...note to self: Second-hand-store-wool-sweater-shopping weather is in full swing!



So how 'bout it? Do you have any wool sweaters in your closet that you may need to re-purpose into a one-of-a-kind handbag?

the simple things in life

A hot cuppa coffee in the morning. Chats with friends near and far, via this wonderful technical highway. Homemade soup for lunch...simmering in the crock pot.

Simple things. All of these and oh-so many more that will, for now, just go unmentioned. But in this month of Thanksgiving for us Americans...I am in a state of reflection and gratefulness....



This quilt may be noted as being simple. But no quilt is ever easy. There's a difference, don't you agree?

It has simple lines. Mostly solid or at least solid-reading fabrics. Simple quilting. And in my opinion, all of these factor into it being a scrumptious quilt!

Ah...but it is not mine to take credit for. Okay. I will gladly take credit for the machine quilting: Swirls in the body of the quilt...and piano keys in the outer borders.

This quilt was pieced by and belongs to my client, Bonnie N. And if I remember correctly, Bonnie was going to give this quilt to a special someone for a gift. How nice!



What simple gifts are you thankful for?

what light through yonder window breaks

It is the east....

And lo and behold, the sun has not forgotten North Dakota after all! Another day of welcomed sunshine!



Magnificent looking quilt, isn't it! Allow me to introduce to you: "Shakespeare in the Park." The pattern comes from Judy Martin...but the talent behind this particular quilt is my client, Julie W. from California.

Sunny. California.

Look at all of those red fabrics that Julie collected for this quilt! And the creams and beiges and off-whites just make the reds sparkle that much more, don't you agree?

Julie and I both agreed that the Swirls edge-to-edge quilting pattern would be perfect for her "Shakespeare." And together, we found the perfect variegated thread. We had a lot of fun, chatting back and forth about this quilt! Gotta love today's technology!



Do you ever wonder...where Shakespeare's career would have gone with a laptop computer to click away with his thoughts and words? Or a Blackberry? And what about Romeo and Juliet and their feuding families?

We shall never know.

feel...felt...felted?

Needle felted, that is!

Have you tried dry wool needle felting for yourself? No? Then I have the perfect day of hands-on learning planned for you!

Please join me at the Putnam House in Carrington, North Dakota...this Saturday! Alison -- the Putnam House Coordinator -- has scheduled two separate class times for your convenience.

The first class begins at 9 a.m. And the second class begins at 1 p.m. During the lunch hour, you can come visit the Putnam House and browse through my trunk show of wool items. Oh yes...and I have some cotton and a few acrylic items, as well. I am quite smitten with wool though, I must admit!

You will have the opportunity to choose in needle felting and creating a personal Cell Phone Pouch; a Business Card Keeper; or an Eye Glass Case. I will be supplying all of the needed tools and materials for you to create your piece. All that you have to do is have fun!

The following photo shows one red and one grey Eye Glass Case...and one black Business Card Keeper. Depending on the size of your cell phone...the personal Cell Phone Pouch will be constructed much like the Business Card Keeper.



And you remembered that I mentioned the trunk show? The following photos are just a taste of what you will see, displayed in the beautiful, historic Putnam House.

Bangles.... Some plain...some needle felted.



Felted wool bowls....



Re-purposed wool sweater handbags....



Well...I'm off to create some more things with wool. See you Saturday!

savings account

I looked up the word dreary in the Wiktionary. (Truly. There is such a thing. The Wiktionary. Crazy little word, isn't it!)

Anyway...back to dreary. The Wiktionary stated that dreary is: drab; dark, colorless, or cheerless. Well...now that's a bit of a downer, isn't it. I honestly just wanted to know if it was spelled with an *ea* or an *ee.*

But honestly, we've all felt a little dreary at some point, right? Or...we've had to look outside or perhaps even spend the day outside when the weather is dreary.



So...I am totally excited that I waited for a rainy day to show you this quilt!

Isn't it fun! Bright. Colorful. Cheerful.

"Ha...take that, dreary day!"



This quilt is called "Slideshow" by Atkinson Designs...and was made by the daughter of a client of mine, Terry M. I machine quilted it with my Swirls...using a variegated thread.



I'm banking on this, now...so don't let me down: This quilt made you smile, didn't it!

the rest of october

Or, dare I say the unrest of October?

Who has time to rest when there are so many terrific arts and crafts out there to fall (ha...pardon the pun) in love with!



Someone recently asked me if there is "...anything that you don't do?" Oh heavens yes! There are lots of things in the arts and crafts department that I don't do. Lots.

***Honestly -- while drafting this blog post -- I began typing and listing the crafts that I don't do or haven't yet tried, for one reason or another. Oh my! I couldn't decide if the long list was a positive or a negative towards me...so I just hit the backspace button!***

If I ponder about something long enough and there is still excitement and somewhat of a fire inside of me to try it...I just do. Sort of my motto I guess. "Just do it."

Oh, certainly. Some things need to wrestle around in my mind more than others...but sooner or later....

***ADDENDUM***

I really feel the need to clarify this post.

I -- in no shape or form -- meant to come off as boastful of my crafting. I love to craft. And I love to try different things. Often.

And this following comment may open up a whole new can of worms, so to speak...but I feel that sometimes, as a society, we can look down upon someone who actually enjoys -- actually has a passion for and loves -- their job. I've been guilty of it, too.

But all in all, I believe that life is too short to not enjoy at least nearly every given day...or at least a part of every given day.

No. Just because I operate a longarm quilt machine and just because I get to see fabulous quilts nearly every day does not mean that I do not encounter challenges. We all do. And I sometimes want to "throw in the towel." But that only provides us with perspective...and builds character, right?

I'm just sayin'....

behind the barn

Behind. Again. Still. Seems to be the way I roll, these days.

Goodness. The fifth annual JunkFest was nearly a month ago!

The morning of the Fest started out cloudy and cool. But by mid-day, sweaters were being shed and sunglasses were being pulled out of their cases.

Guess there may be hope for today? A girl is never too old to make wishes, right?



These are just a few photos from my October's Child booth at this year's JunkFest. I was a first-timer...how exciting!

You noticed the title of my post today? I really wasn't behind the barn...but in it! What a fun place to be...in the midst of lots of action!



As soon as I catch my breath...I will be adding some of the items that you are seeing to my ArtFire studio site. I'll be sure to let you know!



Yes. I was busy crocheting...and felting...and sewing. A lot!



But as I told one of the JunkFest girls the morning of The Event: "As crazybusy as I was getting ready for all of this...I'm still ready to crochet more. And ideas are still popping into my head. So until I run out of energy or inspiration...I'll just keep doing what I do."

And I consider myself very fortunate to feel that. What a great place to be!

first things first

Happy October 1st!

Happy blurry picture.... Seems I'm always in a hurry when photographing my own quilts. I must have been breathing when I snapped this one. (Which...in most cases...is really quite a good thing, isn't it!)



I apologize though. I should have taken a moment to snap a new photo for you. This one kind of bugs out the eyes, doesn't it!

The reason that I didn't take a better photo? I have it all wrapped up and ready to give away.

Mmm. Sorry. Not here.

*Note to self: A giveaway. In October. From the October's Child. That'd be cool....



Back to the quilt. Our local ambulance service is having a benefit fund raiser. The best kind of fund raiser, in my opinion. A quilt bingo! How cool is that! Instead of just getting to shout out "Bingo!" when you have a bingo on your card...you may get to shout it out as well as win yourself a beautiful quilt!

So...I am giving this one away. It's about 49 x 59" in size. Perfect for the back of a sofa...the lap of a loved one in a wheelchair...the top of a table. Truly. When you give a quilt away...you can't worry yourself about "what they're going to do with it"...can you?



Goodness. Some may even think that this is the front of the quilt. Who knows!

bless the beasts and the children

Probably dating myself a little here...but that's such a beautiful song. It's one of the first thoughts that entered my mind this morning. After a little caffeine, that is.


Have you ever heard it? The Carpenters. See for yourself.



September 11. Let us never forget.


And these three beautiful beasts? They are my brother's horses.

So majestic, aren't they! Such strength. Standing so straight and tall and fearless.