Making Lap Blankets from a Full Size Throw

    Hello Friends, I haven't posted in awhile.  But have enjoyed visiting your posts.   Last week I tried something I wanted to share with you.  I wanted to help make lap blankets for a nursing home, so I tried to think of an easy and fast way to make them.  I purchased two throws 50 x 60 inches that have velvet on one side and sherpa on the other side. There was only one seam around the inside of the throws, which made it easy to pull out after I had cut into fours.
    The first thing I did was fold the throw lengthwise, and cut through both layers, then I folded both pieces back, and cut again, making four pieces, I then pulled out the inside seam that had the throw quilted together. I turned each piece inside out and sewed around the edges, leaving about five inches not sewn to pull back right side out.
    So with two throws, I was able to make eight lap blankets.  The whole process only took about thirty minutes.  The other four are beige velvet with beige sherpa.  If anyone wants to try this, just make sure you have a top and bottom layer on your throw, that is not heavily quilted, preferably with only one seam that needs to be pulled out. Also, have your vacuum cleaner near by.  When you cut the sherpa, it does make a mess but, vacuums easily.
                                                 Hope you have a Blessed day, Trisha

Primitive Pillows

Primitive Pillows

   I had fun making these 

primitive pillows. 

 I downloaded the farm animal graphics from 'Graphics Fairy' and printed them onto muslin, 

with my printer.  

I adhered laminating plastic

 to the back of the muslin,

trimmed it to legal page size 

before printing.  

Then, I ironed Wonder Web 

to the back side of the print,

 and then ironed it onto the fabric,

                    with print right side up.  

               I trimmed the edge on some, 

          and some I simply stitched around.

   I believe these are the first primitive pillows that I've made.  I enjoyed making them.  Hope you are having fun making things, during this cold and snowy weather.  Have a Blessed day, Trisha

Make a Charm String out of Old Buttons

Retro Charm String

  I have collected buttons for years and have kept them stored away.  Lately I've been thinking about all those pretty old buttons, and how no one ever gets to see them.
   I remembered a post I did a long while back about vintage 'charm strings' and decided that would be a good way to display some of my old buttons, all be it would be just a replica, it would be pretty, just the same.

  I found a perfect place to display my charm string, on a shelf in my living room.   Now everyone can enjoy them.

   If you would like to read my previous post about
charm strings, on the right of page, under Labels, click on Bible, then 'Isaiah 55: 1,2,3', it shows the magazine I first read about them, in.

Have a Blessed day, Trisha 

Let us Pray

Let us Pray

 After this manner therefore pray ye: 

Our Father which art in heaven, 

Hallowed be thy name. 

Thy kingdom come.  

Thy will be done in earth, 

as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, 

as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from evil: 

for Thine is the kingdom, 

and the power, and the glory, forever.  

Amen      Matthew 6:9-13

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, 

the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

What is man, that thou art mindful of him?  

and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Psalm 8: 3-4

What a privilege it is that we can bow our heads and pray to our Almighty God.

Have a Blessed day, Trisha

Childhood Game, Kentucky Head Knocker

Kentucky Head Knocker

   Growing up in Southern Kentucky in the 50's and 60's was a fun time.  Things were simpler then, no electronic gadgets, or cellphones to occupy our time.

   After chores were finished we invented our own ways to have fun.  We made pop guns, birch whistles, played 'Rolley Hole' a marble game, 'Mumbly Peg' a game using a pocket knife, Tag, Spring Board, See Saw, Kick the Can, Hide and Seek, and many other fun games, but, one that stands out in my mind was played with a dried weed that had a seed pod at the end of it.

   When we visited our cousins in late Fall we ran through the fields of tall grass, whooping and hollering and chasing one another with what I call a 'Kentucky Head Knocker' and, yes, just as the name implies, when we got close enough, we knocked one another in the head with it.  Let me tell you it really smarted.  Back then we never thought about anyone getting hurt.

   Guess God was looking out for us back then, because we sure weren't looking out for ourselves.

   My husband remembered me telling him about it, and found this one in the field behind our house today and brought it in to me.  Who would have thought a weed and seed pod would create a lifetime of memories?
  Have a Blessed day wherever you are, Trisha 

Yard Sale Gypsies

Yard Sale Gypsies Tote Bag

             

   

God has been so good to us, and we thank Him.

We had a good Christmas, and spent 

 time with our daughter after Christmas.  

We enjoyed it so much. 

 Look what a cute tote bag she made for us.

   She knew we liked to run the big yard sales, 

like the 127 Sale, the 68 Sale, 

the Hwy. 25 Sale, the Rollercoaster Sale, and 

local sales, too, and that we call ourselves

  'Yard Sale Gypsies.'  

Our daughter thought it was cute, 

and made this tote bag to carry our snacks in. 

We hope to put it to good use this summer.

Have a Blessed New Year, Trisha 

A Christmas Prayer for 2013

               A Christmas Prayer for 2013

   If a smile to a weary soul, is all we have to give,
and we give it in the name of the Lord,
that smile becomes a gift.

   Whether our finances are meager or fair,
let's share what we can, and seal it with prayer.

   Our prayer for you this Christmas day, 
is that Christ's love abides in your heart to stay.

Merry Christmas Everyone, Trisha

A Winter Walk and Mountain Tea

Wild Mountain Tea

   Today was such a beautiful December day, we took a walk down to the lake behind our house.  The smell of the woods and the trickle of the creek that ran along side the old wagon road took our thoughts back to childhood days.  We walked, talked, reminisced, and smiled.
   The photo on the right is 'Wild Mountain Tea' one of our favorite things to look for in the woods when we were kids, it tastes like Teaberry chewing gum.

Cliff on the Ridgetop by the Old Wagon Road

 



  We meandored around this cliff and
down to what people around here call the  'Stick-ups' where, when the lake was built 35 years ago, the water backed up over the standing timber.
   There had been a lot of Beaver down there, that had cut several large trees trying unsuccessfully to dam up the back waters of the lake.
 


    Pine needles had fallen from tall Pines alongside the old road and draped the branches of Ivy Bushes.  I told my husband." Look, it looks like they are decorated for Christmas.  It looked like they had been hung on the branches like the silver icicles once used on Christmas trees.  We had a wonderful day.

Hope you have had a beautiful and Blessed day, wherever you are, Trisha

Still Painting it White

White Stick Trees

    

    I'm still painting everything white, but, now I call it Christmas White.  I used firewood cut up for tree stumps and cuttings from our Persimmon tree for the tops.  I painted them white and sprinkled them with clear glitter.

Painted Christmas Tree & Greenery

                                                                                                                                                                                                

   I had this little green tree and centerpiece, I normally would use flocking or spray snow on them, but, didn't want to make a trip into town to get any, so, I used white paint and a brush and painted them too.  Before the paint dryed, I sprinkled them with clear glitter.          

So far I haven't gotten any paint on this little guy. I would want to have a black and white speckled cat.

Hope you are having a good and Blessed day, wherever you are, Trisha   

Old Salt Glazed Milk Pitcher

Old Salt Glazed Milk Pitcher

   I found this nice old salt glazed milk pitcher at the flea market today.  I haven't found many mantle pieces lately, so I was overjoyed.  I love the salt glazed pieces, but, they are so pricey I usually pass on them.  This one was in my price range.  Now I will be looking for more to set on the mantle beside it.
   Hope you had a nice day, wherever you are, Trisha  

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

9 ft.  Garland

 



   It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around our house.   I've been busy making garlands, wreaths, signs and lots more.  I took advantage of the warm day yesterday and put up my outside decorations.  This is probably the thickest garland I have ever made, measuring around 10 inches through and 9 ft long.

Framed Christmas & White Satin

   I made a few framed Christmas prints, the one at the top is 'White Christmas' in a weathered look frame, the small round one is a 'Joy to the World' printed on cloth and framed in an embroidery hoop, the large one in the center is a burlap trimmed 'Compliments of the Season' the last two were made with downloaded graphics from 'Graphics Fairy', on the wood hanger, I weather painted it, and applied 'JOY' graphics with Mod Podge and used it to hang a hand crocheted collar.  I also made a small white satin tablecloth, and framed a crocheted doilie in another embroidery hoop.

Signs of Christmas


Hope you are having a good week, 
Blessings, Trisha

                                                                                             
   I  had fun making these Christmas signs.
I applied peel and stick letters over black
painted boards and dry brushed them with white
to give them a weathered look. Then I removed
the letters, on some of them I mod podged gold,
and red letters over weathered look boards.

Blessed with a Second Crop

Blessed be the name of the Lord

   A few posts back I wrote of planting 

a second crop in our garden.  

Today I want to give God the glory 

for Blessing it. 

    Just look how pretty the sunflowers are,

 the mustard greens in the background 

are lush and tender, as well as the lettuce,

 the turnips are growing faster 

than I can remember in past gardens,

we have lots of little cucumbers setting on,

 the dill is almost ready,

 and the Pink Half Runner beans 

should be ready in about a week.

Miniature gourds are climbing tomato cages and sunflowers

          and marigolds are starting to bloom.  

      Thanking God for Blessing our second crop.  

We are still enjoying the first crop in our garden, 

             and now God had done it again. 

Latter rains, plenty of sunshine, and cooler temperatures. 

 Hope you are Blessed, wherever you are, Trisha

Paint it Black, Grey & White

Black, Grey, & White

   This week I've been playing around with the paintbrush again.  Pretty much, if  it was sitting around in the garage, it got sprayed with a coat of black paint, and then dry brushed with a grey and white.
   Glad our cat wasn't hanging around in the garage, he might have looked more like a skunk, than a cat.

Serving Tray Makeover

French Country Shelf

Wood Crate, Urn, Hat, & Frames

   I sprayed this large serving tray with black, dry brushed it with grey & white, let dry, and mod podged it with downloaded graphics from Fairy Graphics.  This would be great for a sewing room.








   I sprayed this shelf with black paint, dry brushed it with grey & white, then mod podged it with graphics, from Fairy Graphics.                










  I told you, whatever I found sitting around in the garage got painted.  So the crate, the urn, the hat, and the frames, didn't escape the bristles of my brush.  Ahh!  I did have fun.  Hope you are having fun, and are Blessed this beautiful day, Trisha