Anniversary Parties and Baby Showers

You know, it's sometimes lonely in blogland. I know this blog is getting read by you lurkers out there because the stats I look at occasionally on my dashboard prove it. I know, I know, just gobbledy-gook to you who don't blog or have websites! LOL! I just wish that some of you would stop in and say your howdy's. I "hear" ya! I'll quit whining, okay? And having a pity-party for myself! I should consider myself blessed that I do have readers! Sigh! J

And speaking of parties, I went to two this last weekend and just had to share the creative stuff I saw at both. My sister-in-laws hosted a reception for their parent's 60th wedding anniversary. My in-laws were asked the secret for their staying together so long and several guys chimed in -- "we get selective hearing after awhile, right?" -- a humorous, teasing, poke in my father-in-law's direction who wears a hearing aid!

Their courting was so romantic! Like Cinderella, my favorite fairy tale, they met at a dance. But alas there was no crystal shoe, but He did write her a letter, she responded, they eloped, and it's been happily after after. Thus the secret staying power, I do believe, has been a commitment of LOVE.

The guest tables were decorated in the center with starched white doilies my mother-in-law crocheted and four graduating heights of goblets turned upside down over white silk flowers. Resting on the top of the stems were white votive candles and scattered around were clear dragon tears suggestive of the clear diamonds of a 60th anniversary. There were also a strand of pearl beads wound around the grouping. Pretty!

Then, next day, one of the cousins of the mother-to-be at the baby shower crafted a cute, cute, cute diaper four-wheeler as a gift. Mama, expecting a son (fore-named Easton), is due sometime in May! Cousin said she purchased most of the items constructing the four-wheeler from the dollar store after she found the directions online. I believe I will have to keep this idea under my hat for the next baby shower I attend. I've made a towel cake for wedding showers (click here for directions), so I don't think this would be too hard for me to make!

Just before coming home, I finally got my hubbin to stop at a flea market I've been eyeing during several other visits "down home." It's at the southwest corner of the junction of 54 Highway (that's the highway between Jefferson City and Osage Beach, 7 miles north of Bagnell Dam) and 52 Hwy (between Eldon and Tuscumbia) down in a little hollow off the road. It's run by PAD (Parents Against Diabetes) and it's called the Thriftiques Marketplace. They had a little of everything. I'm always looking for Mary Engelbreit collectibles and paper scrap ephemera (didn't find any at this visit) but did see a Vera Bradley purse for $15.00. A real steal if you like Vera's purses!

Gelli Printing

My mother always says what goes around comes around again and gelli printing has certainly come full circle. My friend, Julie, sent me to one of her blog posts, showing me some prints she recently made with a silicone gelli kit. My noggin got to twitching and I ran for my bookcase. Back when I was a young lass,  teaching Sunday School, Jr. Church, and VBS before my grandma passed away, she gave me a set of books she used when she taught wide-eyed younguns in her country church back in the early 60's. This is one of the recipes  she used to replicate coloring sheets. Back then it was called a Hectograph and was a specially prepared gelatin surface for duplicating material. You can make your own quickly and inexpensively. Prepare the base as follows:

1 pt. pure glycerin

2 boxes gelatin (8 envelopes)
Enough cold water to moisten gelatin.

Heat glycerin over low flame to boiling point.

Moisten gelatin with cold water. Be sure it is thoroughly soaked. When glycerin boils, add gelatin slowly, stirring until dissolved. Pour mixture into a pan approximately 12" x 9" x 1". Mixture should be about 1/2" thick.

Allow hectograph filler to set while you trace patterns to be duplicated on hard surface paper with a hectograph pencil, or type material with a hectograph ribbon or use hectograph carbon paper. (You can make up to 50 usuable copies with the hectograph carbon paper.)

When gelatin filler is thoroughly set, moisten surface slightly and apply copy to be duplicated. Apply paper to gelatin so there are no wrinkles. Smooth paper and remove. Design will be duplicated. To clean hectograph, carefully sponge off with cold water.

I have no idea what a hectograph pencil, ribbon, or carbon paper are, but I sure bet you can use this recipe for making your own gelli printmaking kit. For up-to-date instructions on printmaking, visit Linda Germaine's Blog on Printmaking without a Press.

Man, What a Rush!!!

I received an advance copy of the Spring issue of Just Cards yesterday and guess what? I didn't think they had anymore of my cards at ScottPublications, but I guess they did cause one got published. An invitation tea card on page 75!

I also saw some other familiar names in the pages, like Barb Benson, for instance, she had three cards published in there. And LindsayWeirich had two. And Joan Petty had 5 cards, WOW! And last but not least, Karen Lange had an origami kimono card published in the back. She's famous around here for those paper origami kimono's. In fact, I have several in my stash! And I had to call her and congrat her on getting published again! I believe that kimono in the magazine is security envelope paper if I'm not mistaken!

And in addition to this magazine, a transcription of mine was published in the Missouri State Genealogical Journal. I found some old Vintage Valentines at a flea market and noticed they were signed on the back, so typed up the names on the back and sent them to the President of the Missouri State Genie Society and she forwarded them on to the Journal.

A Description Riddle

By Dolores J. Rush.

toe-level S
grass waves
whip smooth
yellow, black
Y tongue taster
springssssings
mouse, watch out!

What am I?

Pillowcase Shopping Bag

After the successful pillowcase aprons I made for my Sunday School class, I wondered what else I could construct from pillowcases. Several weeks ago, I ran across a shopping tote bag made out of strips of fabric that I was going to make with fabric left over from the projects I am making for my kitchen, until last Saturday, while shopping at our local Salvation Army, I came across this black and white gingham pillowcase. Racing is a big deal in the metro Kansas City area since we have a racetrack now and I figured this pillowcase once had been part of a boy's sheet set, but it came home with me since I could not locate sheets to match in the store.

The pillowcase is 31 inches long by 19 inches wide. I made my own pattern out of a brown paper sack based on the shopping tote idea I saw. It had fabric handles that were part of the bag which I liked, so I imitated the same idea on the paper sack, taping pieces of paper together. I also lined the bag with fabric, which could be another pillowcase.

Based on the size of the paper shopping bag with the handles which I removed, I needed to cut off 6 inches of the pillowcase from the open end. The totebag I saw had curved sides, so I traced around a saucer to get the curves. Measure from side in 4 1/2 inches; mark and 4 1/2 down side; mark; and matching marks with the saucer, trace around edge with a pencil and cut out. Tape the cut off pieces to the middle section for the handle to make it approximately 3 inches longer and 4 inches wide. .

After cutting the pattern out on both pillowcases, I turned the gingham pillowcase inside out and slipped the liner one inside of the gingham one -- right sides together. Pin the fabric together around the curves, then sew a 1/4 inch seam allowance (DO NOT stitch ends of the handle together at the top as you need to turn the gingham pillowcase inside out), and clip curves (DO NOT clip through sewing thread seam). Clipping curves gives the fabric a little give. Turn fabric inside out through the handle openings and iron. I consider the iron as much a part of my sewing equipment as I do the sewing machine as it helps to smooth the fabric and seams.

After pushing the liner fabric down inside the gingham bag, sew the gingham fabric together at the top of the handle--side seam to side seam. Don't forget to backstitch the ends of the seam, then push the seam inside the handle, iron flat and fold the liner fabric inside and whip stitch or blind stitch closed. Finally, topstitch around top of bag and handle. Viola, shopping bag!

Since this shopping tote went together so quickly, I just had to make another one too! This time it was the striped one I had originally wanted! 

Fabric Houses

Hey, Merry, look what you inspired me to do! After I saw your cute houses, I was inspired to go home and make a couple of my own. Thanks for directing me to the directions too! When I got home from the library and my little visit online, I realized I had a little fabric house potholder hanging in my kitchen already that I picked up at some thrift store! It's that top one in the picture!

I didn't have wonder under or linen fabric or jumbo rickrack or stuffing, so I used what I had at home. I'm trying to use up what I have already, so I'll have room for new stuff! The polka dot house was crying out for black jumbo rickrack under the roof, but it got the lace trim same as the first one. I used clear bread sacks to stuff the little houses with. The wonder under would have made the fabric lie crisper and would have stopped some of the fraying, but all in all, I think they came out rather wonderful anyway, don't you?

And Merry, since you also like paper arts, have you seen my little paper troll knoll card? I made a couple for my mother and sister one year for their birthdays! They say the way to tell the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys! I think that goes for women too, cause I'm having way too much fun with my sewing machine! LOL!

Wowser! Two More Cards!

Here's one from Verna and one from Karen! What sweet friends to think of me!

It sure brightens my day!

Hope everyone has a nice Valentine's Day!

 

Verna's Card!

 

Karen's Card