Gone with the Pincushions!!

Ida's Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade is gaining steam and so this is my post for the linky......

First I show my very favorite pincushion...........one my son, Jeremy, made for me when he was about 12 years old..........for many years this was my only pincushion.....

 

 

 Next another pincushion I have had for years...........this was an estate sale find............there is a label underneath that reads "Italy"...................

 

 

 

My sister made this little pincushion for me that ties right to my sewing machine..........unlike the pincushions I carry from one place to the next and then can't find them.....this one is always in the perfect spot!

 

 

  I repurposed this jewelry box earlier this month.....I removed the glass lid insert and replaced it with a pincushion insert. .......it is nice to have downstairs when I am away from my sewing room......it has enough room for several threads and notions....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 .........and, finally..........some more whimsical pincushions...........I found the ceramic shoe at a second hand shop and added.........well, it is either a leg or a boot top with some machine embroidery ......what would you call it?  Lol............

 

 

 

 I also found this Avon figurine of Scarlet O'Hara which kept me entertained for a day or so...........

 

 

 I'm not sure I'm that pleased with the change, but I didn't use any glue so underneath the figurine is undamaged and can always change back to the original.............

 

 

When Scarlet looked at her new dress she said, "Ida....where will I go?  What will I do???"

 

You know what I said.................

 

 

"Frankly, My Dear, .......why don't you go to the Pin Cushion Parade?????"

 

 

 

And why don't you join the fun???  Link-up, show us your pincushions and get a chance to win some prizes!

Click on this LINK or the Pincushion Parade button above to go there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's time for Ida's "Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade Linkup! And Look.....Green Fairy Quilts is Onboard!

Yes my followers and friends..........the linky to Ida's "Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade"  is now open.....and my friends at Green Fairy Quilts have come onboard to offer a $20 gift certificate to one of the winners of this linky party!  So we are adding this gift certificate to the first winner of the linky party.........thanks Judi and Clint for helping to make this linky a success! Clint and Judi have the most awesome precuts and yardage of all the most contemporary designers anybody would want and they have some of the best sales I have ever seen!  Please click on their logo below and check it out for yourselves!

 

Ok then............don't forget........at midnight on September 2nd the linky to Ida's Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade will be open for you to linkup your beauties!  Click on this link and show me your stuff!!

 

 

 

Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade!

Ok my friends.......here it is.....my very first linky party.....

Ida's Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade has begun!  Please post your links below when linky opens Wednesday September 2nd........You may post anything "pincushion" you like......something you've made.....something you love....anything to do with pincushions! Please remember you must link in order to be eligible for prizes. After you link-up please leave a comment letting me know your first and second choice from the pincushions in the following photos......let me know which you would like to see in your mailbox... If you like you can see individual photos on my previous posts.......

 

Winners will also receive one of these fabulous cookbooks from my Sis......"Mom, how do I boil water?" is a wonderful cookbook for the beginning cook who literally may not know how to boil water!

 

Winners will also get a nice surprise for their stash and who knows what other extras might end up in your winners package! (newsflash!.....GreenFairy Quilts has joined our party and is giving a $20 gift certificate to the winner!  Thanks Clint & Judi! Click on the link and check out their website to see what you might buy with your gift certificate!

 
You can get an additional chance to win by grabbing my button and posting to your blog or by mentioning the linky party on your blog.......... 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Pin Cushion Mania continues.....and an Invitation.....

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance. ~Author Unknown


I made some more pin cushions this week.........many come from ideas I have found on Pinterest and then adapted them to my own interpretation............I found this little wicker box and made it a tiny container pin cushion......



............this was a candle holder I had for a long time........I couldn't decide whether to glue the pin cushion down or not and finally decided to leave it just where the pin cushion can be taken out and then stored on the holder...........

 

............I found this idea on Pinterest.....the container I found at Good Will.........lol...........

 

 

............Another Second Hand store find.......a vintage cup and saucer is transformed into a pretty pin cushion.....

............and then I decided to "bake" a couple of pies.....

I use cotton low loft batting for the "crust" and then paint it with a strong brewed tea to make it look browned on top......

 

 

 

I think, perhaps, that I am coming to the end of my "Pin Cushion Mania"............but I must tell you that I find it only fitting that I should share some of it with you, my followers...........Today I invite you to Ida's "Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade"....a fun linky party with prizes which will open for you to post your links next Wednesday, September 2nd!  Click on the image below and it will take you to the link-up page......

 I have added a button to the top of my right sidebar....will you please grab it and spread the word? 

  You will have a chance to link your favorite pin cushions...........they can be vintage pincushions....pin cushions you have made or your favorite pin cushions.........it's up to you!  Add your link and join the fun!  Prizes will include some of the pin cushions I have posted recently plus other great surprises.......

I will be posting some reminders between now and then......hope to see you there!




 

Kachina Wall Hanging and the Saga of the Pin Cushions continues...........

"When one door of happiness closes, opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us." -Helen Keller



My sister has always been an inspiration to me.........way back when I was doing my thing with all the different crafts and such.....Irene was cross stitching and embroidering and doing her thing...........One of the projects she finished was a set of 5 Indian Kachinas embroidered with wool yarn back in the early 1980's.............aren't these gorgeous? 

   
She had displayed them on her wall for a few years, then my niece hung them for awhile, and one day I saw she had them stacked to put away and she asked if I wanted them.  I don't have any Southwest décor in my house but I had always loved these stitcheries and an idea to take them out of the frames and sew the blocks together for a quilt of some  sort began to take shape so I picked them up and brought them home. 
  After I took them out of the frames I added a rectangular block with a Machine Embroidered applique at the top and bottom of each block then included two ME Kachinas and finally surrounded each with red and turquoise sashing. I stitched in the ditch of the sashing and added some stippling around the Kachinas.....I included the names of the Kachinas and the date she stitched them underneath each block.  I was really happy with the results but more important.....My Sis loved her "new" wall hanging!

 
And then the pin cushions began calling me again..........I have been stopping in at second hand stores for ideas to make pin cushions and have found lots of possibilities........Two miniature frames became a Southwest pincushion and a pansy delight..........

Teacups with or without saucers work well........

  I love adding machine embroidery whenever I can.......

I found this idea on Pinterest.....it uses a glasses case covered with your fabric of choice and includes a little pin cushion to make a fabulous traveling sewing kit!

And here is one last pin cushion for you to look at  before this post goes to the birds!........

Stay tuned for more pin cushions.....I am working on a fun idea for you all to join in on my obsession.........lol.......

One can never have too many pincushions......and the Birthday Celebrating continues......

“You will find that it is necessary to let things go; simply for the reason that they are heavy. So let them go, let go of them. I tie no weights to my ankles.”
― C. JoyBell C.



I am in a pin cushion state of mind........... I am having the best time making these quick little pin cushion projects...........This little cobbler is a pattern I found on Zippy Designs webpage....she has lots of cute Machine Embroidery patterns.....and the same place I got the fun cupcake pincushion ME pattern for the cupcake pincushions I "baked" last year.....

 So, anyway..........I have been collecting little boxes and other likely containers to make the pin cushions with and here is one that lent itself to the cobbler pattern............The "cobbler" lifts up so you can put extra pins or other notions inside.....
























.........and my birthday celebration continues............my cool staff at the hospital gave me a little party at work last night.....complete with flowers and goodies...............this was just a little part of the spread.........I also had a gourmet salad, fruit, and these awesome little bundt cakes!  (Notice the expensive flower vase in the photo on the right.........lol......)

When I got home, alas, the hospital "designer Vase" was having trouble standing up so I had to switch the flowers into another one....

On another note, I have to share the wonderful surprise I got in the mail from my lovely friend, Mary, who knows how much I love anything Wizard of Oz..........she sent me the sweet little teapot below.......It is a wonderful addition to my Wizard of Oz collection...........thanks, friend.......I love my little "Tea Party"..........can't wait til my granddaughter is old enough to enjoy it with me!

 This week I visit Mom and my siblings and, wait.....I wonder if I get yet another birthday celebration???? Yay!  I love getting older!  
Lol.............at this rate I could be celebrating all month!



 

Happy Birthday and a gift from Daddy.....

"You can't help getting older, but you don't have to get old."

~ George Burns

I was totally spoiled yesterday for my birthday!  I did go to work but everyone at work wished me Happy Birthday and all my facebook friends too!  The best part was when I got home my Sis, her hubby and my son had a wonderful steak dinner for me followed by this yummy cheesecake!  I am blessed!

 

In addition to the dinner and the cake, Irene brought these goodies!  I got a new mini iron to press my quilt blocks as I sew the patches together and a neat assortment of thread.  Best of all is a cushion Irene made me from one of our Dad's shirts......The label reads: "This is a shirt that Daddy used to wear.  Whenever you hold it, know that he is near"...thank you Irene.....you know how much I love it all.  

 Next week will mark a year since we said goodbye to our beloved Daddy.......there are many times I still can't believe he's gone.....I want to share a little gift that he gave me about 45 years ago....I was 18 years old and in the hospital and he brought me this beautiful little alarm clock............

I proceeded to knock it off my night stand the very next day and it never worked again.......I loved it so much that I have kept it all these years...........A couple of days ago I opened the box it came in and decided I wanted to be able to look at it everyday so I formulated a plan...........

I found a pretty ME pattern and made this:

I really didn't want to ruin the clock even though I never plan to have it repaired because my forgetful self knows I will never remember to wind it everyday so I just glued the pin cushion top to it........all the clock parts are still inside.............then I glued the rhinestone border to the top of it.............

Now I can see my little clock everyday and even use it when I sew!.........here it is on my bedside table right next to a photo of my Daddy...........

 One of the good things about having a big family is you could celebrate your birthday indefinitely!  haha........next week I go visit Mom and my other Sis......so maybe there will be more cake!! lol...........