Introducing Alice and Tommy, Canadian Paper Rag Dolls

By on 8-31-2010 in Paper Dolls, Places to See

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Here are two new paperdolls. I have always loved Raggedy Anne and Andy, but I thought Canada needed their own rag dolls. Meet Alice and Tommy. August was a great month for them. They went swimming in the pool…..always when a lifeguard was on duty. Never swim alone without a buddy and a lifeguard to keep you safe. The rag dolls also visited the horse exhibit at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. This is a great exhibit and it is here until January 2, 2011. Click Horse Exhibit to visit the story of horses. After January 2011 this link will not work, but you can visit the museum by clicking: Canadian Museum of Civilization

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Christmas in August

By on 8-26-2010 in Christmas Patterns, Embroidery, Vintage Patterns

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August is the month to start preparing gifts for Christmas. Jams and jellies from this year’s fruits and herbs would make great gifts. As gifts they need to be presented with frills and covers. Crafts Plus October 1995 magazine published some very pretty, but easy and quick covers to make during this busy month. Susan Bolton designed the apples in the basket which could be put on apple butter, apple sauce or apple jelly or anything else apples. Mary Driscoll designed the ‘cool mint’ stencil. Mint jelly was a favourite with my mother-in-law at all her turkey dinners. There is also a palm tree which would look great on a jar of jelly made from tropical fruits. A hardanger cover is also included which could go on any jar you give at Christmas.

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You can download all four patterns shown, plus the hardanger cover instructions here. It is a 222kb pdf document Jam Jar Covers, Crafts Plus Sept/Oct, 1995

Summer is Almost Over

By on 8-13-2010 in Embroidery, Vintage Patterns

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With autumn just around the corner I thought it was time for one last ‘sweet treat’ with these desserts from the Family Circle 1979 magazine. Family Circle created a mobile and I thought these desserts would make a ‘sweet’ little wall quilt or a summer table runner. A child’s bib could be adorned with the ice cream cone or sundae and the banana split would look great on a placemat. What ‘cool’ Christmas gifts they would make. These patterns would also look great as redwork embroidery, placed on cafe curtains for the summer months.

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Summer Always Means Berries

By on 7-29-2010 in Embroidery, Vintage Patterns

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Strawberries…….shortcake, jam, ice cream……… This strawberry pattern was published in the McCall’s Needlework Magazine, Summer, 1977. Wouldn’t these strawberries make a great summer table runner? Or maybe an embroidered border on a cafe curtain in the kitchen or on a cover for your home made strawberry jam.

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July is Day Lily Month

By on 7-23-2010 in art quilts, Fabric Postcards, Original Pattern, Original photos

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Day Lilies are my favourite wild flower. They grow everywhere, lending their bright orange colour to even the dullest days. I don’t have to water or feed or weed them. These two photos are from the plants growing beside the driveway. They make my heart sing every time I look out the window during the month of July.

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I couldn’t leave this astounding image alone. Here is a pattern for the day lily. This flower would look great on a postcard. I created it in the Quilt Assistant software which can be found by clicking the link: www.cosman.nl/software_en in my “sites I love” column on the right side. I use Quilt Assistant software often, setting up a library of images that I can use when I feel the creative urge. It works well, is easy to use and best of all it is free.

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