Asters….the last wild flower of the season

By on 10-10-2010 in art quilts, Original Pattern, Original photos

asters

When the wild purple asters appear you know summer is over and autumn has begun. My favourites are the deep purples. Beautiful against the greens and turning autumn leaves they seem to bloom forever. I think these asters would look great embroidered on a pillowcase edge.

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Here is a pattern for the aster. I created the pattern by working from a photo in Photoshop, printed out and then traced around the petals and center of the flower. It would look great embroidered by either machine or by hand along the border of a table cloth. A quilted table runner or place mat could have one giant flower.

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Alice, Tommy and the Dinosaurs

By on 9-25-2010 in Paper Dolls, Places to See

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Alice and Tommy visited the Museum of nature in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They had so much fun learning about these ancient animals and were amazed how huge some of them were. You can visit the museum by clicking on this link Museum of Nature. When they went to bed that night they snuggled up in their pajamas and dreamed of dinosaurs. On the first day of school they told everybody about their wonderful visit. If you would like to colour the cute little dinosaur, you can find it here: preschoollearningonline

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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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A Wedding Quilt…….”Turn Around”……for my young niece

By on 8-11-2010 in Original Pattern, Original Quilts

“Turn around and you’re a young wife with a babe of your own”. {lyrics by Malvena Reynolds, 1900-1978}……When the design of this quilt became a reality on paper, the name was clear. On the back label I placed two photos, one of my niece in her wedding gown and another of her when she was about 3. How do our children grow so big so fast? A year after the event, she is carrying her first child. The lyrics have pulled at my heart as my children grew to adulthood and my grand girls are now doing the same. Time never ceases.
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Each block of the quilt has a meaning and a message along with it. Inside the label pocket on the back are two pages. One with the lyrics of the song and another with a block map and the messages that go with each of the blocks. I also had extra photos so created the two little hanging pillows using the left over patchwork pieces from the quilt.

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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