Sewing Tool Organizer! Judy Laquidara Quilt! Pentagon Patchwork Balls! DIY Lap Loom! Old Fashioned Photo Strips! Elephant Plushies! PLUS . . . Recipes, Jokes, Art, Design & Memories!

 

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I’d really appreciate it!  xoxom

 

YOKE DU YOUR 

 

Two men were walking their dogs together. The first guy with a Chocolate lab and the second a Chihuahua

The first guy says, “Hey, you want to get something to eat?”

The second guy replies, “Yeah, but they all have signs that say ‘No Dogs Allowed’.”

The first guy with the lab puts sunglasses on and hands the other guy a pair. “Follow my lead,” he says.

As he walks into the restaurant a waiter stops him and says, “Sir, no dogs allowed.”

The man replies, “It’s O.K., this is my seeing eye dog.” The waiter apologizes and leads the man to a table as the second man enters.

The same waiter stops him but the guy says, “This is my seeing eye dog. I’m with the other guy.”

The waiter replies, “Sir, you can’t fool me, you have a Chihuahua.”

The man freaks out and says, “A Chihuahua? They gave me a Chihuahua?!”

 

ARTspiration

Artists or art that turns me on and feeds my muse! Like it or dislike it, what about this art inspires your own art or creativity?   The phenomenal artist Alex Gray has depicted the ideal vision of Avalokitesvara.  What it means: Notice the thousand arms, and varied shamanic tools with which Avalokitesvara is able to accomplish all things.  The eye in each hand gives Him all-seeing.  His many heads see in every direction, and exist in all dimensions and finer and finer realms.  The ghoulish looking head denotes the reality that part of a Compassionate Attitude is one that destroys Illusion; our delusions.  Hearing that we are wrong can feel like someone is ‘beating us up,’ treating us monstrously…thus the monster face.  http://www.w1ndhorse.com/avalokitesvara.html

 

DESIGNspiration

Look around you. Design is everywhere! How can you incorporate the beauty that surrounds you into your art or craft?

For the 2013 Ulster Bank Belfast International Festival at Queen’s, Cuban-American Artist, Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada, has created WISH, a portrait of an anonymous local girl photographed by the artist in the process of making a pure and simple wish for the future. Spanning an 11 acre site in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, the photographic image of this girl – made of topsoil, sand, grass and stones – can be seen from various locations around Belfast. This innovative public artwork pushes boundaries and uses cutting edge technologies, making it one of the most ambitious land art projects in the world.

 

 

IDEA I LOVE

 

 

Isn’t this the greatest? I may have to marry the designer (do you hear that, Amy?).  Here’s a free sewing tutorial for making your own foldable stitching organizer!  I love this.  LOVE this!  Start here . . .

http://lotsofpinkhere.blogspot.ca/2011/10/12-gifts-of-christmas-blog-hop.html

 

IDEA I LOVE

Here’s how to make an old-fashioned photo strip from your selfies, youfies, and wefies.  Finally, you get to use your computer for something more than Facebook!   Check it out . . . 

http://www.momtastic.com/diy/437631-faux-photo-booth-pictures/

 

IDEA I LOVE

 

Make a colorful bowl of patchwork pentagon balls for your autumn and/or Christmas home.  I think baskets and bowls filled with these are not only pretty, it shows off your work  (just an FYI,  I would use a silk thread to piece these so that the stitches do not take away from the final piece – I’m sure the designer used the white thread to illustrate her stitches).   It’s a great portable slow-stitching project . . .  

http://kameleonquilt.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/patchwork-ball-made-of-pentagons/

YUM

 HONOLULU LUAU DOG

• 1 tbsp KC Masterpiece spicy mango marinade
• 1 tsp Hy-Vee honey
• 1 (14 oz) pkg Nathan’s beef franks
• 7 Hy-Vee hot dog buns
• 7 tbsp Hy-Vee cream cheese, softened
• 7 slices fresh pineapple, cut into spears
• 7 tbsp Oscar Meyer Real Bacon Recipe Pieces

All you do

1. In a small bowl, mix marinade and honey; set aside.
2. On a griddle, cook franks to preferred doneness. Toast hot dog buns and spread cream cheese on each side. Place a cooked frank on each bun and pineapple spear on each side of the frank and drizzle with marinade mixture. Sprinkle with bacon bits.

Source: http://www.hy-vee.com/meal-solutions/recipes/Honolulu-Luau-Dog-R6759.aspx?noredirect

BREATHLESS INSPIRATION

This incredible collection of surreal photo manipulations have been created by Russian photographer and artist Oleg Dou.

 

WORDS TO LIVE BY

 

PATCHWORK, BABY! 

 

Here’s another pretty quilt called, Road to Llano Quilt, by designer Judy Laquidara.  Here’s a link to her free pattern…

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2013/05/24/34533/

MEMBA DIS?

Welsh’s jelly jar glasses.

IDEA I LOVE!

GO AHEAD! Make your own custom lap loom in under an hour!  This is great therapy and a great way to keep your mitts out of the Lays while you watch TV.  Start here . . .

http://www.makescoutdiy.com/2014/07/28/basics-how-to-make-a-custom-loom/ 

MUST HAVE!

You know we all need a selfie toaster!  OMG, is there a stronger word than ‘need?’  Talk about a great birthday or Christmas gift!  Yowza!  $75

http://fancy.com/things/677114775401923314/Selfie-Toaster?ref=jeffreyturner 

 

DESSERT!

Grandma’s Coconut Balls 

This recipe is from Laura Mendoza, a Facebook friend!  Laura says, “Here’s a yummy recipe that my Grandma always made every year at Christmastime.  I think her mother made them too, so this recipe is at least 50 years old.  The original recipe called for parafin wax in the chocolate.  I eliminated that part when I started making these years ago.  Everyone I know absolutely loves these (unless they hate coconut).  I actually won a recipe contest at our local grocery store with these.”

 

2 lbs powdered sugar
2 lbs flaked/shredded coconut
1/2 cup butter – softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp vanilla extract
4-5 pkgs semisweet chocolote chips

Mix together all ingredients, except chocolate chips. Use your hands. This will take awhile – maybe 10-15 minutes. Roll into 1″ balls. Place on tray or cookie sheet in a single layer. Freeze overnight.
Next day, melt chocolate chips in double boiler. Dip frozen balls in melted chocolate. I use a long doll/craft needle to hold the balls. Place on trays/cookie sheets lined with wax paper. Refrigerate until chocolate is hard.Store in airtight container in refrigerator. Can last up to 6 weeks this way.

Okay to keep at room temperature for a few hours (parties, work, etc). Makes about 120-130 balls. Okay to ship.

 

SHOEspiration

A crazy quilted shoe!

 

IDEA I LOVE

I like the people at Camelot Cottons.  They’ve always been very nice and earnest in their design approach (hardworking, too).  That’s why, finding this little tutorial for the Elephants using Camelot fabrics gave me a welcomed morning smile.   Why not make a set.  You know you know someone who would love them.  Here’s the patterns . . .

http://www.camelotfabricsblog.com/?p=3122

Hey Michigan!

THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

On Friday and Saturday, August 1 & 2

I’ll be visiting Fabric Affair in Troy, Michigan!

On Friday evening I’ll be giving my wild talk (the fun one)!

All day on Saturday, I’ll be teaching my Lemon Cathedral Workshop!

Sign Up for the Workshop TODAY! 

 

YOU’LL LEARN MY LEMON CATHEDRAL QUILT

Have you checked out …

THE SLOW STITCHING MOVEMENT WEBSITE?

The new Slow Stitching Movement blog has been posted. This blog is about “Semper Tedium! What I Learned (and you can, too)!” I’d love for you to take a look at it and give me any feedback. Thanks! xooxm

Just CLICK on the SLOW STITCHING BLOG box on the Slow Stitching Movement website: http://www.slowstitching.com/    (please subscribe while you’re there)

DON’T MISS A THING, MISS THANG! 

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