So Many Projects, So Little Time

I know this is a chorus we all apply to our lives, and deservedly so. Thus, having successfully dealt with no computer, daughter KT with poison ivy which turns into a staph infection which keeps her out of school for almost three weeks (any of you ever had a SICK 16-year-old girl at the end of the school year?????), and various and sundry other things like beating KT off the computer with a big stick (j/k!), I am finally back, panting slightly, and excited about what I've been doing.

The FAJ posts will be popped shortly into our other Journal, literally -- I'm frustratedly figuring out how to do pop-ups, and thusly will my Gnome be represented! Right now, I'd love to share here what I've been doing in some other areas.

I've become fascinated for some reason with green gingham. I have about half-a-dozen standard heart shapes (such as used by Chain of Hearts) outlined on six 8"x8" squares of the stuff. On each of them, I'm experimenting with a different technique, including surface embroidery and chicken scratch. About a year ago, in her July 2005 entry, Dawn of Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost posted some pics of an absolutely marvelous green gingham vintage piece. I played with it, trying to imitate the stitches with some fair success (yes, pics to come as soon as I steal the camera back). In addition to the hearts, like I said, I'm fascinated with the whole gingham concept. I ran across a Button Beading Tutorial (I think Sharon B. posted it, but here it is again), and had to try it...I had a Dritz Button Cover Kit that I think my mother bought in the early sixties (it was like $.39!), so there I am trying to do this with 1/4"-sized checks on a 1/4"-sized button, but it actually worked interestingly. I had to really pull at the fluffy stuff since the button form is so small, but it did work! I'm currently beading around the edge with red seed beads.

I'm drifting towards more beading again, or actually in addition, but that's a subject, along with some cool freebie links, for the next post. Oh, but here's one to tantalize you -- check out this FREE tutorial and pattern for an antique beaded bracelet, and stay tuned!!