Jim Shore

I was so excited yesterday when I found that one of my favourite designers Jim Shore
Had a fabric range. Of course you probably all knew that especially my American friends....For those of you who don't know Jim Shore he does some fabulous ornaments.
A few years ago I paid quite a lot of money for a beautiful Noah's Ark and its one of my most treasured possessions. Sadly as I'm at work at the mo I haven't got a picture but here are some other pictures to give you some idea. It seems like it may be difficult to source his fabric in the UK so if any one in the USA can point me in the right direction I'd be very grateful.



So what do you think.... I just LOVE these designs.

Time to revist some projects

Happy New Year to You All..... I decided that the beginning of 2010 would be a good time to finish one or two (or ten) projects that I had started but discarded as I became disheartened.So here are one or two items that I have managed to complete.I was fairly pleased with the stitchery on this little wall hanging but it all went pear shaped when I did the border.In my frustration I shoved it away in a drawer and thankfully it was one of the first finsihes of 2010 YEAH.....
I have been working on this panel since last Christmas and sadly the photographs don't do it justice as its covered in beads, is a very touchy feely project and although it has a Christmas feel I have decided to leave it out as its so pretty.
AS usual it was the border that posed such a problem and prevented me from completing it but when I looked at it again recently I made some ribbon corners
and I'm quite happy with the result.


This cut out was HARD work I cut the tree out by hand with a scalpel !! don't ask me what possessed me but I'm glad I did although once I had cut it out I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with it.Once again it was put away and now its this lovely little wall hanging (can you see a theme here !)
So a good positive start to the New Year and so my word for 2010 is
POSITIVE
I may need to be reminded occasionally but I'm sure that I can rely on all my bloggy friends to keep me on the right track........

 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Peaceful and Happy New Year xxxx

A Tutorial - How not to do things

Oohh I am the most annoying person !! Why do I print off instructions then
completely ignore them... Why can I not be patient grrrr.......
So I saw these wonderful journal covers, yes I thought I can do that.... mmmmmm
Now don't get me wrong I am fairly happy with my finished item...at least I am Karen happy.This means I am always chuffed when I manage to finish anything and I am most definitely not a perfectionist I frequently tell myself that my work has character, yes I like that it has character....
So here's what happened...

1. ignore the pattern.. you don't have time to read that Karen
2. Measure your journal without a tape measure.. what on earth would you need a tape measure for?
3. Cut cut cut mmmm yes that looks about right.
4. Stitch stitch stitch oh not quite right what have I done, ok add a border...
5. Oh bother... its slightly too small oh blimey I've got a headache coming on.
6. Must finish tonight everything depends on it it must be finished tonight.....
7. Add bits here and there to hide all the sins, breathe a sigh of relief..
that's better its got character now.
Now the thing that I find frustrating about myself is that if I just took a little bit of time I know I could do much better...sounds like a bad school report..could do better !!!!

Lets take a look at the finished items shall we..NOOOOOO don't look too closely
remember the mantra say after me CHARACTER.....

Now I am always printing off poems,sayings, sentiments etc and I end up with bits of paper everywhere the little book on the front is to store these until I get round to putting them in the journal.
Can you see the little keeper of the secrets


I have started the first pages, dedicated to my three children of course. My two girls both in their twenties now and my baby who is 17.
This journal although only just begun has been claimed by one of my daughters so when I leave this mortal coil
(not for quite some time I hope) this journal will be full of my thoughts,feelings
hopes and dreams to pass on to them. Looks like I'd better get on and make another two !!!!!

As I've got 5 followers over the weekend I'll be sending a little gift to you all.
If you havent already please email me with your address to get your suprise.
By the way do you like my status cloud. All these words are things I have been talking about on facebook. I particularly like the last one, STUPID Yes thats me I went out of the office on Friday and left the door unlocked for the whole weekend, eek....

Good grief I think I might have done it !!!!!What,what I hear you say,
something exciting... well not really,look at the right hand side of the page
I think I have finally managed to get the followers gadget on my page.
I only think I've done it cause I've got no followers yet.. ahhhh come on all say
ah........ thats it,now go and be a follower, go on you know you want to....
I might have a little suprise for the first 3 followers.

Just to prove to you I do sew sometimes I'm making this lap quilt,actually its going to go over the arm of my sofa,the colours go really well with my living room. I love the combination of colours here. It was a jelly roll that I received as a gift last Christmas. Yes it has taken me this long to use it, I'm very bad......The jelly rolls are very good for me as I hate cutting out, I'm not very accurate and these rolls are pre-cut, easy really.I'm also incorporating some stitcheries,just little sentiments that make me smile.